Giving Up the Ghost
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- Create Date：2022-09-25 00:53:06
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Hilary Mantel
- ISBN：0007142722
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Summary
‘Like Lorna Sage's Bad Blood … A masterpiece。’ Rachel Cusk
Giving Up the Ghost is the shocking and beautiful memoir， from the author of Wolf Hall， Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror & the Light ‘Giving up the Ghost’ is award-winning novelist Hilary Mantel's uniquely unusual five-part autobiography。
Opening in 1995 with 'A Second Home'， Mantel describes the death of her stepfather which leaves her deeply troubled by the unresolved events of her childhood。 In 'Now Geoffrey Don't Torment Her' Mantel takes the reader into the muffled consciousness of her early childhood， culminating in the birth of a younger brother and the strange candlelight ceremony of her mother's 'churching'。 In 'Smile'， an account of teenage perplexity， Mantel describes a household where the keeping of secrets has become a way of life。 Finally， at the memoir's conclusion， Mantel explains how through a series of medical misunderstandings and neglect she came to be childless and how the ghosts of the unborn like chances missed or pages unturned， have come to haunt her life as a writer。
Giving Up the Ghost is the shocking and beautiful memoir， from the author of Wolf Hall， Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror & the Light ‘Giving up the Ghost’ is award-winning novelist Hilary Mantel's uniquely unusual five-part autobiography。
Opening in 1995 with 'A Second Home'， Mantel describes the death of her stepfather which leaves her deeply troubled by the unresolved events of her childhood。 In 'Now Geoffrey Don't Torment Her' Mantel takes the reader into the muffled consciousness of her early childhood， culminating in the birth of a younger brother and the strange candlelight ceremony of her mother's 'churching'。 In 'Smile'， an account of teenage perplexity， Mantel describes a household where the keeping of secrets has become a way of life。 Finally， at the memoir's conclusion， Mantel explains how through a series of medical misunderstandings and neglect she came to be childless and how the ghosts of the unborn like chances missed or pages unturned， have come to haunt her life as a writer。
Reviews
Rebecca
，
3。5 stars。 I feel a bit sacrilegious giving Hilary Mantel a 3 star rating。 Unsurprisingly this is exquisitely written and unlike others I wasn’t at all bothered by it’s episodic nature， but for some reason I found it really difficult to connect and rarely felt compelled to pick it up。 It is still an interesting read， especially for any of us who were bookish children with over-active imaginations， so maybe it was just the wrong time for me to be reading it。
Webcowgirl
，
An immensely satisfying read， full of non-self-pitying retrospection and rich， rich， rich with words， a juicy festival of the ripe fruits of her mind。 Also really great info about how different drugs， given to "heal，" can debilitate the mind and body。 An immensely satisfying read， full of non-self-pitying retrospection and rich， rich， rich with words， a juicy festival of the ripe fruits of her mind。 Also really great info about how different drugs， given to "heal，" can debilitate the mind and body。 。。。more
Lydia
，
A fascinating memoir: Mantel's perspective on the world is so interesting and there is much here to illuminate the themes in her writing as well as the details of her life and childhood。 I loved it。 A fascinating memoir: Mantel's perspective on the world is so interesting and there is much here to illuminate the themes in her writing as well as the details of her life and childhood。 I loved it。 。。。more
Diane
，
Lyrical， ethereal writing。 A memoir that sidles up to memories rather than confronting them head on—which seems appropriate for a story of someone whose illnesses were dismissed and gaslit as “all in her head。” If you like her fiction， you’ll likely enjoy this。
Tobeylynn
，
I originally started this early in 2020， but early in the pandemic I found it difficult to read anything and when I eventually started reading again I turned to physical books， both for the comfort of holding a traditional book in my hands but also purchased physical books to help support independent booksellers。 But after reading another ebook this summer， I decided to return and finish this one。In this memoir， Mantel describes an often strange and difficult childhood， growing up in the East Mi I originally started this early in 2020， but early in the pandemic I found it difficult to read anything and when I eventually started reading again I turned to physical books， both for the comfort of holding a traditional book in my hands but also purchased physical books to help support independent booksellers。 But after reading another ebook this summer， I decided to return and finish this one。In this memoir， Mantel describes an often strange and difficult childhood， growing up in the East Midlands of England。 Frequent health problems， family secrets， and Protestant-Catholic conflicts contribute to a sense of being different。 Later， as a young married， she undergoes psychiatric treatment for an ailment misdiagnosed as psychosomatic。 Although her experiences are nothing like that in Tudor England， one can see how the darkness in the Cromwell trilogy may have been drawn from her life。I am eager now to read some of her other works。 。。。more
Kay
，
A fascinating autobiography of Hilary Mantel。 The book seems to be in two parts， her childhood， which covers most of the book and then life as an unwell adult。 I really enjoyed reading about her memories of growing up， within her family and at school。 Mantel does more than take us through the actions， she also tells us what she thought and felt。 The first section was brilliant and moving but I wasn’t so interested in the adult part， it didn’t have the intrigue of the earlier days。
Petter Wolff
，
Well she can write。
JoNelle Holland
，
OH MY GOSH！ I have never been so glad to finish a book in my life。 I'm sorry， but this was boring and the memories were scattered。 It skipped from one childhood memory or age to another and then back again。 Reading this book gave me more than one headache。 OH MY GOSH！ I have never been so glad to finish a book in my life。 I'm sorry， but this was boring and the memories were scattered。 It skipped from one childhood memory or age to another and then back again。 Reading this book gave me more than one headache。 。。。more
Treasure Island Books
，
This is my first book by this author。 Perhaps if I had read one of her novels， the story of her life would have resonated more。 The writing was obscure and difficult。 I felt sympathy for her health issues and for her childhood difficulties， but breathed a great sigh of relief when I reached the last page。
Lynne
，
Hard going， definitely prefer the fiction！
Eliza
，
A 3 most of the way through， but the final 2 parts - ‘Show Your Workings’ and ‘Afterlife’ are incredible pieces of writing - pull this up and I begun to understand that the memoir needs the first four parts to coalesce the whole。 I never need to read another memoir about childhood， but Mantel writes with unique vision and style so that the ghosts of her own children could hardly be conjured without the spectre of her own。 With a caustic wit and rare perspicacity （the paragraphs on her Home Count A 3 most of the way through， but the final 2 parts - ‘Show Your Workings’ and ‘Afterlife’ are incredible pieces of writing - pull this up and I begun to understand that the memoir needs the first four parts to coalesce the whole。 I never need to read another memoir about childhood， but Mantel writes with unique vision and style so that the ghosts of her own children could hardly be conjured without the spectre of her own。 With a caustic wit and rare perspicacity （the paragraphs on her Home Counties neighbours hold nearly 20 years later） Mantel is truly original。 。。。more
Sylvia Clare
，
stunning， detailed acccount of a life of writing and what led to it。 AN stonishingly beautiful account of childhood confusion in he face of inexplicable adults。
Nic
，
Interesting insight into the 'real' world of Hilary Mantel Interesting insight into the 'real' world of Hilary Mantel 。。。more
Chiara Giacobelli
，
"Come sempre， la scrittura della Mantel è talmente ironica， pungente e brillante da non scadere mai nella noia o nella difficoltà di lettura。 Al contrario， questa storia di una bimba che a poco a poco diventa adolescente e poi donna si legge con empatia e facilità， sebbene i temi trattati siano alquanto spinosi。 Il principale è ovviamente quello della malattia， che ha segnato l’intera vita della scrittrice e l’ha portata a non riconoscersi più nella sua stessa pelle: affetta da endometriosi， Hil "Come sempre， la scrittura della Mantel è talmente ironica， pungente e brillante da non scadere mai nella noia o nella difficoltà di lettura。 Al contrario， questa storia di una bimba che a poco a poco diventa adolescente e poi donna si legge con empatia e facilità， sebbene i temi trattati siano alquanto spinosi。 Il principale è ovviamente quello della malattia， che ha segnato l’intera vita della scrittrice e l’ha portata a non riconoscersi più nella sua stessa pelle: affetta da endometriosi， Hilary Mantel ha dovuto lottare per anni contro atroci dolori， incomprensioni， cure sbagliate， invalidanti effetti collaterali， e neppure il tanto atteso intervento al St George’s Hospital di Londra riuscì a risolvere la situazione， perché dopo appena un anno la malattia si ripresentò。Di certo， quell’operazione di cui le avevano spiegato molto poco e a proposito della quale i medici stessi apparivano piuttosto scettici， la lasciò senza più l’utero， le ovaie e l’intero apparato riproduttivo， togliendole per sempre， ancora giovanissima， la possibilità di diventare madre。 Quello fu il momento in cui i fantasmi divennero concreti， dolorosi e spietati， a cominciare dall’immaginaria figlia Catriona， che a vent’anni aveva desiderato insieme al marito （sposato ben due volte）。 Poi la carriera， gli studi di legge e le vicende del difficoltoso matrimonio l’avevano portata a rimandare la scelta della maternità， a metterla da parte e ad esserne sempre meno convinta， ma un conto è poter decidere del proprio futuro， un altro vederselo strappare da un giorno all’altro"。Leggi la recensione completa qui:https://www。affaritaliani。it/libri-ed。。。 。。。more
Andrew Salgado
，
“I am writing in order to take charge of the story… but this story can only be told once， and I need to get it right。”—About a year or two before I began writing my memoir I met someone who told me he was going to write a book。 THATS GREAT！ What are your favourite books？ I asked。 His reply was that he doesn’t read books。 （Huh？） Now imagine me， back-pedalling， as if this wasn’t the stupidest one-two interaction I’ve ever had。 The first secret to writing anything， I guess， is to read as much in th “I am writing in order to take charge of the story… but this story can only be told once， and I need to get it right。”—About a year or two before I began writing my memoir I met someone who told me he was going to write a book。 THATS GREAT！ What are your favourite books？ I asked。 His reply was that he doesn’t read books。 （Huh？） Now imagine me， back-pedalling， as if this wasn’t the stupidest one-two interaction I’ve ever had。 The first secret to writing anything， I guess， is to read as much in that specific style or genre as possible。 I’ve been trying to read more memoirs， and， unsurprisingly， I learn a lot from them。 Perhaps I’m on a good run， because I’ve had three brilliant ones in a row。 You can add two-time Booker prize winner （who else has done that？ Only Atwood？） Mantel to that list。 This is a stunning memoir about her childhood， her struggles with her health， but mostly （and most interestingly） about writing， and her interactions with ghosts， like literal BOO！ 👻 ghosts。 Another top notch example。 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️。5 。。。more
Heather Milne
，
A direct and moving memoirFrom the child's perspective the memories feel straight from the unconscious。 Then the unconscious is deliciously explored from the experiences of the adult。 I like it。 Prompted to read more of Ilary's novels and re-read Eight Months on Ghazza St。 A direct and moving memoirFrom the child's perspective the memories feel straight from the unconscious。 Then the unconscious is deliciously explored from the experiences of the adult。 I like it。 Prompted to read more of Ilary's novels and re-read Eight Months on Ghazza St。 。。。more
Gabriela
，
Loved this book！ I knew very little about Hilary Mantel， and her memoir is powerful and endearing at the same time。 A phrase stuck with me: "writing yourself into existence"。。。 Loved this book！ I knew very little about Hilary Mantel， and her memoir is powerful and endearing at the same time。 A phrase stuck with me: "writing yourself into existence"。。。 。。。more
Jackie Ballard
，
Didn’t finish it
Lucy
，
3。5*
Karen
，
I haven’t read the famous ‘Wolf Hall’ or any other books by Hilary Mantel。 I probably will now。 I really enjoy Mantel’s writing。 Here’s a descriptor of her birthplace:“It is conventional to say that a village ‘nestles’ in a valley; Hadfield squatted， like a fossil toad。 The word ‘village’ in itself invites indulgence: “an English village。” Thatched cottages？ Roses around the door？ Community， closeness？ Hadfield was a community; it was close。 Every person oversaw the affairs of the next; and snig I haven’t read the famous ‘Wolf Hall’ or any other books by Hilary Mantel。 I probably will now。 I really enjoy Mantel’s writing。 Here’s a descriptor of her birthplace:“It is conventional to say that a village ‘nestles’ in a valley; Hadfield squatted， like a fossil toad。 The word ‘village’ in itself invites indulgence: “an English village。” Thatched cottages？ Roses around the door？ Community， closeness？ Hadfield was a community; it was close。 Every person oversaw the affairs of the next; and sniggered about them。 Thatch would have been carried off by the wind。” （P。23）Other reviewers have criticized Mantel for her silence about her relationships。 I can see their point， but I think they are missing the distinction between an autobiography and a memoir。 The latter focuses on a specific theme within an individual’s life。 There’s no requirement to tell all and， in this case， I think talk of her marriage would have diluted the theme she pursued。 The more that this book sits inside of me， the more I believe that Mantel has done a superb job。 I’m editing this review to 5 stars， instead of 4。 It’s a very unusual memoir， but it really is good。 。。。more
Julie Gardner
，
Having just read one of her short story collections， I was interested to read this memoir。 It turns out Hilary Mantel was born just a few weeks before me so it's very easy to relate to some of her observations and experiences。 I don't just like the way she writes; I like her。 She writes with such honesty but without any sense of self-pity or self-centredness。 I wish she lived in the same apartment block as me。 I don't do dinner parties （can't cook， won't cook） but if I did I'd invite her for din Having just read one of her short story collections， I was interested to read this memoir。 It turns out Hilary Mantel was born just a few weeks before me so it's very easy to relate to some of her observations and experiences。 I don't just like the way she writes; I like her。 She writes with such honesty but without any sense of self-pity or self-centredness。 I wish she lived in the same apartment block as me。 I don't do dinner parties （can't cook， won't cook） but if I did I'd invite her for dinner。 。。。more
Hedwig
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De mens achter de erudiete schrijfster。 Aangrijpend en mooi geschreven。
Simona Moschini
，
Ho fatto una fatica enorme a ingranare。 Per molte， troppe pagine， sembra l'anodino resoconto di un'infanzia come tante， solo scritta con uno stile più personale， e mi chiedevo che bisogno ci fosse di raccontare tante banalità。Da un certo punto in poi - diciamo dall'università - le cose però cambiano。 Molta sofferenza， molta autocoscienza， molta accettazione razionale e， per chi legge， molta passione e compassione。Consigliato。 Ho fatto una fatica enorme a ingranare。 Per molte， troppe pagine， sembra l'anodino resoconto di un'infanzia come tante， solo scritta con uno stile più personale， e mi chiedevo che bisogno ci fosse di raccontare tante banalità。Da un certo punto in poi - diciamo dall'università - le cose però cambiano。 Molta sofferenza， molta autocoscienza， molta accettazione razionale e， per chi legge， molta passione e compassione。Consigliato。 。。。more
Carola Sundqvist
，
Jag har länge varit nyfiken på Hilary Mantel efter att ha sett intervjuer med henne， men tvekat att ge mig i kast med hennes historiska mastodontverk。 Denna självbiografi är en inkörsport både till personen och författaren。 Hennes liv har kantats av umbäranden och sjukdom， som den länge odiagnosticerade endometriosen som innebar en ofattbar smärta i hela kroppen och i förlängningen barnlöshet。 Hon skriver så smärtsamt vackert om de ofödda barnen som om de existerade i ett parallellt universum。 J Jag har länge varit nyfiken på Hilary Mantel efter att ha sett intervjuer med henne， men tvekat att ge mig i kast med hennes historiska mastodontverk。 Denna självbiografi är en inkörsport både till personen och författaren。 Hennes liv har kantats av umbäranden och sjukdom， som den länge odiagnosticerade endometriosen som innebar en ofattbar smärta i hela kroppen och i förlängningen barnlöshet。 Hon skriver så smärtsamt vackert om de ofödda barnen som om de existerade i ett parallellt universum。 Jag uppskattar hennes skarpa iakttagelseförmåga （hon får redan som liten höra att hon har ”sinne för detaljer”） och subtila humor。 。。。more
Joana
，
This isn't an extensive memoir but rather focuses on two aspects of Mantel's life: her childhood and her mysterious illnesses。 They were both very interesting but the writing is very。。。intense so it's not something you can breezily read away。 The illnesses part is a classic case of doctors not listening to women and not giving importance to their complains and also women not feeling like they deserve that attention or rather that they deserve to live in constant agony。 It's very sad but Mantel h This isn't an extensive memoir but rather focuses on two aspects of Mantel's life: her childhood and her mysterious illnesses。 They were both very interesting but the writing is very。。。intense so it's not something you can breezily read away。 The illnesses part is a classic case of doctors not listening to women and not giving importance to their complains and also women not feeling like they deserve that attention or rather that they deserve to live in constant agony。 It's very sad but Mantel has an admirable way of telling the tales。 。。。more
Jane Gregg
，
An utterly stunning memoir。 The reviews on here by idiots though… looking for connections and things… ugh。
Andrew Gresham
，
Wonderfully unsentimental story of the painful trials and tribulations of being a Catholic Irish girl growing up in England。 She writes about her very painful health challenges in graphic painful details， with the additional agony of this being dismissed by her parents。 She has an amazingly sharp detailed eye for her and others suffering; which she writes about in a beautifully engaging way。
Megan
，
This book is an origin story， a creation myth。 Specifically how Hilary Mantel changed from a constantly ill wraith like woman fixed on a future in law to a solid， well-earthed， and celebrated author。 She did not intend it， it was not planned。 She changed， she simply changed。 I found her story of accepting of that change profoundly moving。
Gill
，
Unique autobiography from R'Ilary。 She paints life in the community of the northern terraced homes in wonderful detail。 The latter part of the book is a woeful wade through her dreadful illnesses。followed by a heartfelt obituary to her never-conceived-unborn child。 A brave comment - how many others must have such emotions。 Unique autobiography from R'Ilary。 She paints life in the community of the northern terraced homes in wonderful detail。 The latter part of the book is a woeful wade through her dreadful illnesses。followed by a heartfelt obituary to her never-conceived-unborn child。 A brave comment - how many others must have such emotions。 。。。more
Josephine （Jo）
，
I gave a rare five stars to this book which I was engrossed in and found so very interesting。Hilary was born in the same year as I was， 1952 and I found so much of our lives coincided that I could empathise totally with what she was saying。 I had one of the same satin dolls with the pointed head and round cloth face and a magic slate， I wondered if Hilary also had one of the pictures of a bald man that had iron filings loose at the bottom and a little magnet pen that you could to use draw them u I gave a rare five stars to this book which I was engrossed in and found so very interesting。Hilary was born in the same year as I was， 1952 and I found so much of our lives coincided that I could empathise totally with what she was saying。 I had one of the same satin dolls with the pointed head and round cloth face and a magic slate， I wondered if Hilary also had one of the pictures of a bald man that had iron filings loose at the bottom and a little magnet pen that you could to use draw them up and put hair and a beard on him？ I really wanted to sit and chat and say to her 'do you remember that' and 'did do that。' We both went to convent schools and also lived for a time with our grandmothers。 Hilary was a delicate and very pretty child and also highly intelligent she had a great love of books and read everything and anything she could get hold of， I have a passion for books。 As she grew older she had many misdiagnosed illnesses and this affected her mental health for a while， she developed a healthy mistrust of doctors in general and gynaecologists in particular with which I thoroughly concur。 Things were so different in the sixties and seventies for women， male doctors either seemed to be embarrassed by women's health problems and tried to convince them that it was something else or disbelieved them entirely and told them there was nothing wrong。My heart went out to Hilary， as the medication made her gain weight and people started to be judgemental I could have cried， I almost shouted out YES when she said that people say to her 'you are looking well' oh my， I know that one， I think I shall be looking well in my coffin。 I cannot see that being a bigger person makes Hilary any less attractive as a person she is not！ All those people who use various euphemisms for being overweight should just try describing what is beautiful about a person， there is always plenty and as for Hilary， they could start with her brilliant mind and wit。This memoir of a girls life from the fifties to the present day is a really great read and I would recommend it to all women not just from that time but to younger women too。 It is informative， funny， and it just might make them a little more tolerant of other females， as they should be。Thank you Ilary （as she calls herself in the book）。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Giving Up the Ghost
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Giving Up the Ghost&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Giving Up the Ghost&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0