Set in the backstreets of a Scottish city in the 1920s, The White Bird Passes is the unforgettable story of a young girl growing up in ‘the Lane’. Poor, crowded and dirty – but full of life and excitement – the Lane is the only home Janie Mac Vean has ever known. It is a place where, despite everything, Janie is happy. But when the Cruelty Man arrives, bringing with him the threat of the dreaded ‘home’ – the orphanage that is every child’s nightmare – Janie’s contented childhood seems to be at an end.
A gritty and moving portrayal of a young girl facing up to hardship and deprivation, written with warmth, humour and insight, Jessie Kesson’s classic autobiographical novel is widely regarded as her finest work.
LONGLISTED FOR BBC ONE’S ‘SCOTLAND’S FAVOURITE BOOK’ (2016)
‘Beg, borrow or steal this book.’ – NORMAN Mac CAIG
‘Memorable and beguiling.’ – THE HERALD
‘Miss Kesson writes beautifully, her strong, delicate prose full of poetry and humour.’ – DAILY TELEGRAPH
‘Completely frank, transparently honest and deeply moving.’ – COMPTON Mac KENZIE
About the author
Jessie Kesson (1916-1994) was born in Inverness and spent her childhood in the north of Scotland. She combined a successful writing career with a variety of jobs, from cleaner to artist’s model, and was a social worker for nearly twenty years, settling finally in London with her husband.
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