Best Selling Books by Jo Baker

If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah thought, she would be more careful not to trudge through muddy fields. It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah''s hands are chapped and bleeding.

From the bestselling author of Longbourn: An “arresting debut” (The Independent) about a young woman’s search for her place in the world, set against the backdrop of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Offcomer is the powerful first novel from the acclaimed author of Longbourn. Against the backdrop of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, recent Oxford graduate Claire is a mess. She’s trapped in a disastrous relationship with a young academic, working a dead end job, stunned by the emergence of secrets from her mother’s past, and seemingly addicted to self-destructive behavior. But like the ceasefire that has brought renewed hope to Belfast, Claire too is afforded an opportunity to reflect, gradually learning to accept herself and to discover her sense of self-esteem and self-worth. Unflinching in its depictions of the uncertainties of youth, Offcomer is a novel of real and quiet power, from literary star Jo Baker.

From the bestselling author of Longbourn comes a story of survival and determination, of spies and artists, passion and danger—a portrait of Samuel Beckett’s wartime experiences in Paris. “Exquisitely crafted.” —O, The Oprah Magazine In 1939 Paris, the ground rumbles with the footfall of Nazi soldiers marching along the Champs-Élysées, and a young, unknown writer, recently arrived from Ireland to make his mark, smokes one last cigarette with his lover before the city they know is torn apart. Soon he will put them both in mortal danger by joining the Resistance. Through the years that follow, we are witness to the workings of a uniquely brilliant mind struggling to create a language to express a shattered world. A Country Road, A Tree is a portrait of the extremes of human experience alchemized into one man’s timeless art.

The best-selling author of Never Unfriended opens up about midlife and what it feels like to have outgrown those teenage jeans—but finally grown into the shape of our souls. “I want to give Lisa-Jo’s book a standing ovation.”—Aarti Sequeira, chef and TV personality Do you ever wonder how you woke up one day with all the responsibilities of a grown-up who secretly enjoys buying groceries in bulk, can no longer recognize the tween celebrities on the magazines at checkout, but is still surprised when a Starbucks barista calls you “ma’am”—because your inside self is frozen in time to about twenty years ago? So does Lisa-Jo Baker. In these intimate reflections on midlife, Lisa-Jo invites us to get a good look at our middles and gives us permission to embrace them—beyond what the media, the mirror, or the magazines say. Through gutsy, beautiful storytelling, she admits out loud what most of us are thinking about marriage, parenting, the bathroom scale, and how badly we all want to buy those matching Magnolia Market mugs. Her delicious stories come from not being afraid of who she is, because Lisa-Jo knows that the middle might be the best part of the love story of life, kids, faith, doubt, marriage, failure, wonder, and the muffin top—and that these are all good things. She’s not asking you to seize the day, just to make sure you actually see it for all its wildly ordinary glory. Welcome to the middle! Praise for The Middle Matters “What a thought-provoking collection of reflections and wisdom! Through personal stories about love, loss, and life in the middle, Lisa-Jo invites us to take a long look inside our own mind’s secret nooks and crannies, which aren’t nearly as dark, scary, or ordinary as we might think.”—Layla Palmer, The Lettered Cottage blog “With captivating wit, hard-won wisdom, and breathtaking honesty, Lisa-Jo has written a love letter to the delicious middle.”—Mandy Arioto, president and CEO of MOPS International and author of Have More Fun “With Lisa-Jo’s guts as our unfettered guide, may we finally learn the sumptuous truth of our years: that a grilled cheese sandwich without the middle is just toast.”—Erin Loechner, founder of OtherGoose and author of Chasing Slow “Thank you, Lisa-Jo, for reminding women everywhere how important it is to find meaning in the midst of the confusing middle.”—Joy Prouty, artist and educator

An honest and lyrical coming-of-age memoir of growing up in South Africa at the height of apartheid, and an invitation to recognize and refuse to repeat the sins of our fathers—from the bestselling author of Never Unfriended “Heartfelt, emotionally charged reflections . . . [a] bracing memoir.”—Kirkus Review “Important. Riveting. Unforgettable . . . a profoundly captivating story that can profoundly change your own story.”—Ann Voskamp, New York Times bestselling author of WayMaker Born White in the heart of Zululand during the racial apartheid, Lisa-Jo Baker longed to write a new future for her children—a longing that set her on a journey to understand where she fit into a story of violence and faith, history and race. Before marriage and motherhood, she came to the United States to study to become a human rights advocate. When she naïvely walked right into America’s own turbulent racial landscape, Baker experienced the kind of painful awakening that is both individual and universal, personal and social. Yet years would go by before she traced this American trauma back to her own South African past. Baker was a teenager when her mother died of cancer, leaving her with her father. Though they shared a language of faith and justice, she often feared him, unaware that his fierce temper had deep roots in a family’s and a nation’s pain. Decades later, old wounds reopened when she found herself spiraling into a terrifying version of her father, screaming herself hoarse at her son. Only then did Baker realize that to go forward—to refuse to repeat the sins of our fathers—we must first go back. With a story that stretches from South Africa’s outback to Washington, D.C., It Wasn’t Roaring, It Was Weeping is a courageous look at inherited hurts and prejudices, and a hope-filled example for all who feel lost in life or worried that they’re too off course to make the necessary corrections. Baker’s story shows that it’s never too late to be free.

From the bestselling author of Longbourn comes the magical story of a young girl in search of her mother...who just might be a mermaid. • “Baker''s writing seduces." —O, The Oprah Magazine Malin has always been different, and when her father dies, leaving her alone, her choice is clear: stay, and remain an outsider forever, or leave in search of the mythical inheritance she is certain awaits her. Apprenticed to a series of strange and wonderful characters, Malin embarks on a grueling journey that crosses oceans and continents—from the high seas to desert plains—and leads to a discovery that she could never have expected. Beautifully written and hauntingly strange, The Mermaid’s Child is a remarkable piece of storytelling, and an utterly unique work of fantasy from literary star Jo Baker.

"A novel about four generations of a British family--their secrets, their loves and losses, dreams and heartbreaks--captured in a series of individual moments that span the years from World War I, to World War II, to the 1960s, and up to the present"--Provided by publisher.

From the bestselling author of Longbourn, a gripping novel of one young woman’s unraveling during the Blitz—a story of World War II intrigue, love, and danger • “[A] thrilling novel…atmospheric and memorable.” —Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Haven It is 1940 and twenty-year-old Charlotte Richmond watches from her attic window as enemy planes fly over London. Still grieving her beloved brother, who never returned from France, she is trying to keep herself out of trouble: holding down a typist job at the Ministry of Information, sharing gin and confidences with her best friend, Elena, and dodging her overbearing father. On her way to work she often sees the boy who feeds the birds—a source of unexpected joy amid the rubble of the Blitz. But every day brings new scenes of devastation, and after yet another heartbreaking loss Charlotte has an uncanny sense of foreboding. Someone is stalking the darkness, targeting her friends. And now he’s following her. As grief and suspicion consume her, Charlotte’s nerves become increasingly frayed. She no longer knows whom to trust. She can’t even trust herself . . . Utterly riveting and hypnotic, The Midnight News is a love story, a war story,and an unforgettable journey into the fragile mind and fierce heart of an extraordinary young woman.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 156-157).

From the bestselling author of Longbourn comes a ghost story that is a thrilling—and sometimes chilling—tale about two women, separated by almost two centuries, grappling with change and loss. After her mother dies, Rachel sets off alone to pack up and sell off the remnants of her family’s isolated country house. But from the moment she steps through the front door, she feels that the house contains more than she had expected. Generations earlier, a young housemaid, Lizzy, called the same dwelling home. On course for a life of service no different from her mother and her mother’s mother before her, Lizzy’s world is upended by the arrival of a mysterious lodger. Interweaving the two narratives, Jo Baker brings these women, both struggling against their stations and their duties, vividly to life.

From the bestselling author of Longbourn: a work of riveting psychological suspense that grapples with how to live as a woman in the world—or in the pages of a book—when the stakes are dangerously high. “Gripping…the perfect marriage of risky literary fiction and full-on thriller.” —Maria Semple, bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette When a young writer accepts a job at a university in the remote English countryside, it''s meant to be a fresh start, away from the bustle of London and the scene of a violent assault she is desperate to forget. But despite the distractions of her new life and the demands of single motherhood, her nerves continue to jangle. To make matters worse, a vicious debate about violence against women inflames the tensions and mounting rivalries in her creative-writing class. When a troubled student starts turning in chapters that blur the lines between fiction and reality, the professor recognizes herself as the main character in his book--and he has written her a horrific fate. Will she be able to stop life imitating art before it''s too late? At once a breathless cat-and-mouse game and a layered interrogation of the fetishization of the female body, The Body Lies gives us an essential story for our time that will have you checking the locks on your doors.

Written by Lisa-Jo Baker of the (in)courage women''s community, Never Unfriended, is a step-by-step guide to friendships you can trust with personal stories and practical tips to help you make the friends, and be the friend, that lasts.

Eine mächtige Familie und ihre Dienstboten. Geheimnisse, Intrigen und Lieben. Und ein Haus, das alle zusammenhält. Ein Millionenpublikum liebt Jane Austens Stolz und Vorurteil. Doch keiner weiß, was sich in Küche und Stall des Hauses Longbourn abspielt: Hier müht sich die junge Sarah mit Wäsche und Töpfen ab, immer noch hoffend, dass das Leben mehr für sie bereithält. Ist die Ankunft des neuen Butlers James ein Zeichen? Während Elizabeth und Mr. Darcy von einem Missverständnis ins nächste stolpern, nimmt in Longbourn noch ein anderes Liebesdrama seinen Lauf – denn James hütet ein großes Geheimnis. Jo Baker erzählt Jane Austens bekanntesten Roman neu: aus Sicht der Dienstboten. Und zeigt, dass deren Dramen jenen der Herrschaften in nichts nachstehen.

A lawyer with a well-stamped passport and a passion for human rights, Lisa-Jo Baker never wanted to be a mom. And then she had kids. Having lost her own mother to cancer as a teenager, Lisa-Jo felt lost on her journey to womanhood and wholly unprepared to raise children. Surprised by Motherhood is Lisa-Jos story of becoming and being a mom, and in the process, discovering that all the what to expect and how to books in the world can never truly prepare you for the sheer exhilaration, joy, and terrifying love that accompanies motherhood. Set partly in South Africa and partly in the US (with a slight detour to Ukraine along the way), Surprised by Motherhood is a poignant memoir of one womans dawning realization that being a mom isnt about being perfectits about being present.

C''era una volta la famiglia Bennet: un padre distratto, una madre soffocante e cinque figlie da maritare. Jane Austen ne racconta magistralmente i signorili affanni in Orgoglio e pregiudizio, ma tace sulla servitú che dall''alba a tarda notte si affaccendava perché la conversazione in salotto scorresse serena. Jo Baker svela una metà del mondo popolata di ombre che, mentre cucinano e puliscono per gli altri, vivono vite e nutrono speranze proprie. E che sotto gli abiti di seconda mano nascondono segreti, ferite e passioni non meno intense di quelle che animano i piani superiori.

Het weesmeisje Sarah brengt haar dagen door met vloeren schrobben, kleding wassen en het legen van kamerpos van de familie Bennet. Maar in de bedompte personeelsvertrekken is er sprake van evenveel liefdesverdriet, ontluikende liefde en intrige als in de luxe vertrekken van de Bennets. Als er een mysterieuze nieuwe knecht wordt aangenomen, dreigt het voorspelbare leven van het personeel totaal overhoopgehaald te worden. Jo Baker voert de lezer voorbij de welgestelde familie van Jane Austens klassieker Pride and Prejudice naar de personeelsvertrekken waar de bedienden geluk en verdriet noodgedwongen met elkaar moeten delen.

We Saved You A Seat is a seven-session Bible study for teen girls that looks at the heart of lasting friendships, focusing on Jesus as the role model for our friendships and Scripture as the foundation.

Pattern Cutting Techniques for Ladies'' Jackets shares the trade secrets from the world of bespoke tailoring and haute couture, alongside procedures from the ready-to-wear industry. Written by a trained Savile Row tailor working in the fashion industry, it explains how to make a basic pattern for a jacket by flat pattern cutting or draping on the dress form. It introduces a broad range of techniques with clear detailed instructions, and emphasizes the importance of an individual and creative approach. It includes patterns for basic block, single- and double-breasted blazers, and the tuxedo with sleeves and button variations, as well as instruction for style adjustments. It also advises on how to take measurements, fit jackets and make alterations, and is fully illustrated with over 400 patterns, diagrams and photographs. Essential reading for designers, students, pattern makers and enthusiasts wanting to develop their skills for designing and cutting stylish tailored jackets. Superbly illustrated with 315 colour images and charts, 50 quarter scale flat patterns, 12 full size templates.

ufeffWhat does it mean to ''kiss and part''? This collection of previously unpublished short stories from a stellar list of contemporary women novelists is a literary celebration of the spirit of place. Each contributor shares one thing in common - they have all stayed at a small cottage in the village of Clifford Chambers near Stratford-upon-Avon, courtesy of a trust set up to provide women writers with ‘a room of one’s own’, as Virginia Woolf put it. Clifford Chambers was the home of the Jacobean poet Michael Drayton, who incorporated the phrase ‘Kiss and part’ into a sonnet. Each of the ten short stories in this collection takes this as its theme and the result is wonderfully eclectic mix of storytelling of the highest quality. All royalties go the Hosking Houses Trust to further encourage women’s writing. Contents List Preface ‘Kiss and Part’ by Michael Drayton Introduction by Margaret Drabble Buck Moon Marina Warner ‘A Merrie Meeting’ Salley Vickers The Incumbent Elizabeth Speller ‘Colossal Wreck’ Maria McCann The Visitation Maggie Gee And the River Flows On Joan Bakewell The Creature Jill Dawson The Turn Catherine Fox The Fabric of Things Jo Baker ‘Place of Dreams’ Lucy Durneen The Writers Afterword by Sarah Hosking Acknowledgements of Photographs

Über die Kraft des Schreibens – Samuel Becketts Kriegsjahre Als der Zweite Weltkrieg ausbricht, hält sich der Schriftsteller in seinem Elternhaus in Irland auf. Die Mutter ist froh, sie möchte den Sohn immer in ihrer Nähe wissen. Trotzdem verlässt der junge Mann seine sichere Heimat und kehrt zum Künstlerkreis um James Joyce und Marcel Duchamp und zu seiner Geliebten nach Paris zurück. Als seine Freunde nach und nach verschwinden, schließt er sich der Résistance an. Jo Baker nähert sich dem rätselhaften Samuel Beckett über die dunklen Jahre seiner künstlerischen Anfänge und zeigt, wie die entbehrungsreichen Kriegsjahre und das endlose Warten auf ein Ende sein Werk prägten, das Jahrzehnte später weltbekannt wurde.

Palvelusväen Ylpeys ja ennakkoluulo Klassikko näyttää uudelta, kun Longbournin talon palvelustyttö Sarah elää oman Ylpeytensä ja ennakkoluulonsa. Jos olisin elänyt Jane Austenin aikana, olisin pessyt lattioita. Näin kertoo kirjailija Jo Baker, ja lattioita pesee myös hänen päähenkilönsä Sarah samaan aikaan kun Elizabeth Bennet pukeutuu tanssiaispukuun. Longbournin talo, Bennetien koti vailla perijää, on myös palvelusväen ainoa koti ja heidän kiihkeän elämänsä näyttämö. Kun palveluskuntaan liittyy salaperäinen James, talon elämä järkkyy. Lukija seuraa Austenin tarinaa kuin salaa, keittiön ovesta, mutta kirjan tähti on älykäs Sarah."Näyttää Austenin romaanin hätkähdyttävän tuoreessa valossa." The Guardian"Tulos on riemuvoitto: hieno kunnianosoitus Austenille mutta ennen kaikkea nautittava, itsenäinen romaani." The Guardian Lancasterissa asuva Jo Baker on kirjailija ja äiti. Longbournin talossa on hänen kansainvälinen läpimurtonsa. Hänen esivanhempansa olivat palvelusväkeä.

¿Y si Jane Austen hubiera dado voz a los criados? Son las cuatro de la mañana en Longbourn, la casa de los Bennett en Herdfordshire. Mientras las cinco hermanas y sus padres, los famosos protagonistas de Orgullo y prejuicio, duermen plácidamente, Sarah y Polly, las dos jóvenes doncellas, empiezan a trabajar a las órdenes de la anciana señora Hill, la cocinera. Todos llevan años repitiendo la misma rutina, pero saben que la vida es algo más que un simple ir y venir de trapos, cacerolas y escobas. Sarah es quien más desea arriesgar, y su pequeño y rutinario mundo finalmente cambia el día en que James Smith, un nuevo sirviente, llega a Longbourn arrastrando con él un pasado lleno de secretos y un futuro donde cabe la libertad. De repente, los sótanos y los áticos de la mansión cobran vida, y detrás de los delantales y los uniformes descubrimos criaturas que tienen mucho que contar. Mientras las hermanas Bennett duermen... sus criados por fin hablan, y vale la pena escuchar. El estilo de Jo Baker, que respeta la escritura de Jane Austen pero tiene un carácter propio, aporta nueva luz a un clásico y lo hace con gran talento e imaginación.

La història d''Orgull i prejudici re visitada des del punt de vista dels criats que atenen la mansió. I si Jane Austen hagués fetparlarelscriats? Són quarts de cinc del matí a Longbourn, la casa dels Bennet, a Hertfordshire. Mentre les cinc germanes i els seus pares, els famosos protagonistes d''Orgull i prejudici, dormen plàcidament, la Sarah i la Polly, les dues donzelles, comencen a treballar a les ordres de l''anciana senyora Hill, la majordoma. Ja fa anys que segueixenla mateixa rutina i, malgrat tot, saben que la vida és alguna cosa més que un simple anar i venir de draps, cassoles i escombres. La Sarah és la que més desitjosa està d''arriscar-se a fer un canvi, i el seu món, petit i rutinari, es veu finalment transformat el dia que James Smith, un nou servent, arriba a Longbourn arrossegant un passat ple de secrets i un futur en el qual hi té cabuda la llibertat. Tot d''una els soterranis cobren vida, i rere els davantals i els uniformes descobrim éssers que tenen moltes coses per explicar. Mentre les germanes Bennet dormen... els seus criats per fi parlen, i val la pena escoltar-los. L''estil de Jo Baker, que respecta l''escriptura de Jane Austen però té un caràcter propi, aporta nova llum a un clàssic i ho fa amb molt talent i imaginació.

When was the last time you felt refreshed or focused despite your never-ending ideas and to-do list? Sometimes in all our giving and getting, we get too busy and skip the most important step. Even though the things we are doing are for God, at times we don''t stop long enough to let Him fill us with what we need in order to do what He''s called us to do. It''s time for a powerful pause. Designed for women with full lives and plates, this devotional provides 31 days of relatable stories, bite-sized nuggets of biblical wisdom, takeaway journal sections and declarative prayers that provide peace and purpose in the morning moments with Him. Each entry will jump-start your day with the right perspective before you jump into your big ideas, mundane moments and checking off your to-do list. Soul-Care for Go-Getters (31 Day Devotional) makes the perfect gift for the goal-getters, multifaceted mamas, entrepreneurs, college students and ministry leaders in your life.

Hur gick skvallret i köket när Elizabeth Bennet avböjde Mr Darcys frieri i Jane Austens Stolthet och fördom? Vad tänkte husan Sarah när hon stod med Lydias tvätt? Huset Longbourn berättar tjänstefolkets historia i Jane Austens klassiska roman. Parallellt med kärlekshistorien mellan Mr Darcy och Elisabeth löper romansen mellan den unga köksflickan Sarah och butlern James Smith. En fängslande, historisk roman som låter oss kika in i det Bennetska hushållets köksfönster och stall medan Austens originalberättelse pågår i de finare rummen en trappa upp. Berättelsens perspektiv skiftar från den unga tjänsteflickan Sarah som kom till huset som föräldralös, till kokerskan Mrs Hill och den nya butlern James. Men varför har Mrs Hill ett sådant gott öga till James och beskyddar honom så gott hon kan, och varför tror Sarah att han ljuger om vem han är? Vad diskuteras egentligen bakom Mr Bennets lyckta biblioteksdörrar? Via återblickar uppdagas James dolda kopplingar till huset Longbourn liksom Mrs Hills sorgliga hemlighet. Vi får en gripande inblick i tjänstefolkets otrygga tillvaro och hårda liv – som var en realitet för fattiga människor i 1800-talets engelska klassamhälle. Huset Longbourn utvecklar och fördjupar den älskade klassikern och ger originalhistorien ytterligare spänning.

Sur le domaine de Longbourn, vivent Mr et Mrs Bennet et leurs vénérables filles, en âge de se marier. À l’étage inférieur veillent les domestiques. Personnages fantomatiques dans le célèbre roman de Jane Austen, Orgueil et préjugés, ils deviennent ici des êtres de chair et de sang qui, du matin au soir, astiquent, frottent, pétrissent et vivent au rythme des exigences et des aventures de leurs bien-aimés patrons. Mais ce que les domestiques font dans la cuisine, sans être observés, pendant qu’Elizabeth et Darcy tombent amoureux à l’étage, relève d’eux seuls... Une histoire d’amour peut en cacher une autre, et qui sait quel secret enfoui risque de ressurgir.

Set against the rolling backdrop of a century of British history, this is a family portrait captured in snapshots. First there is William, the factory lad who loses his life in Gallipoli, then his son Billy, a champion cyclist who survives the D-Day Landings on a military bicycle, followed by his crippled son Will who becomes an Oxford academic in the 1960s, and finally his daughter Billie, an artist in contemporary London. Rich in drama and sensuous in detail, The Picture Book is a beautifully crafted story about fate and repetition and about the possibility of breaking free.