In the Pattern in the Carpet - A Fascinating Look at Jigsaw Puzzles From Margaret Drabble

Well known author Margaret Drabble examines the strange delights of jigsaw puzzles in her book, In The Pattern in the Carpet. Drabble has published 18 novels to date and in this book she examines the role jigsaw puzzles have played in her life.

The book, beautifully written, also looks at the history of the jigsaw. From jigsaw puzzles in their earliest incarnation as dissected maps, used as a teaching tool in Victorian times, to other cut-outs and mosaics.

Cleverly, Drabble takes us on a journey back to her childhood and her visits to Auntie Phyl. She tells about the jigsaws they completed.

Drabble also writes about the importance of jigsaws in everyone’s childhoods. She describes how we rearrange objects into new patterns to make sense of our past. Drabble also writes about the importance jigsaws can play in reducing stress.

For the jigsaw puzzle enthusiast and those who are occasional assemblers of jigsaws, this book will delight and transport the reader to a world far away from our fast – paced lives. It will inspire families to sit down together to do a jigsaw and for people on their own, Drabble’s book will re-enthuse them to start a puzzle.

About the Author

Margaret Drabble was born in Sheffield in 1939 and studied at Cambridge. In 1980 she was awarded the CBE. She has written several highly acclaimed novels, most recently The Sea Lady (published by Fig Tree, 2006). She has also penned biographies, screenplays and edits The Oxford Companion to English Literature. She is married to the biographer Michael Holroyd

In the Pattern in the Carpet - A Fascinating Look at Jigsaw Puzzles From Margaret Drabble