The Dollmaker

<p><strong>'A terrifying lesson in US history &ndash; and a haunting tragedy' - Guardian</strong></p> <p>Gertie is the young mother of five children &ndash; uneducated, determined, strong. Her only ambition is to own her own small farm in the Kentucky hills where she lives, to become self-sufficient and free.</p> <p>Whenever the struggle to live off the land eases, her inarticulate imagination takes its freedom and flies. Because Gertie is also an artist, a sculptor of wood and creator of beautiful handmade dolls.</p> <p>When the family is forced to move to industrial Detroit, with its pre-fab houses, appliances bought on credit and neighbours on every side, life turns into an incomprehensible, lonely nightmare. Gertie realises she must adapt to a life where land, family and creativity are replaced by just one thing: the constant need for money.</p> <p>'A masterwork... A superb book of unforgettable strength and glowing richness' - <em>New York Times</em></p>