The Pattern In The Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws – An Intimate Memoir of Depression, Relief, Art, Writing, and Aging

For someone who likes doing jigsaws this is a must read. It brought together so many topics of interest to me personally that it was a book I couldn't put down. As well as giving historical information about the origin of jigsaws, she tells us some of her personal history. She quotes from and analyses several other books that I have read or meant to read, such as "Life: a user's manual" by Georges Perec. Drabble includes a wealth of whimsical and exotic trivia in her beautifully written memoir.

Margaret Drabble is not always easy reading. She explores the development and use of jigsaw puzzles in her own life and across time as well as many other ideas. For example, what should we do with our spare time, how do generations share spare time, the history of children's play plus how do they learn to play, why is play important for children, what sorts of things anchor us in life, etc, etc. I find it better to take it easy with her books, do not read for long periods of time. Shorter periods are less likely to bore you and more likely to encourage you to think about the many points she is discussing..

More memoir in general than memoir with puzzle references.

Margaret Drabble is not afraid to write; and in recent years her work has become more direct, with just enough artifice to make a tale hang together. This book is to be sipped slowly,chapter by chapter, when a person feels the need to turn off CNN and sit down and have tea and conversation with a thoughtful, articulate friend. No crumpets are needed to accompany the earl grey, since her reminiscences and researched tidbits about jigsaw puzzles, human nature in general, and her family in particular, are themselves soooo sweet, soooo true.

The book was delivered fast and in great shape.

More interesting than the subject promises; MS Drabble brings in personal histories and European history, tie-ins with other puzzles and games and famous paintings. Not up to her novels, though.

Fascinating.

The early chapters are interesting but by the fifth chapter it becomes tedious to follow this wandery book. It is very depressing and hopeless at the end. Her writing is interesting and evocative, and in the early parts of the book, very interesting. Its a little peek at the history of WWII Great Britain, especially popular culture (Hovis, etc). But it very quickly becomes depressing. Not recommended