Featherbed

by John Miller

When Anna and Sadie discover the diaries of their mother, Rebecca, in the days following her death, they learn that her life was far more complex than either of them knew: a garment worker in early-1900s New York; the reluctant wife in an arranged marriage to an ailing and abusive husband; the improbable friend of a pregnant prostitute.

But the diaries reveal more than just surprising details about Rebecca's life: they also point to a family secret - and questions about Sadie's true parentage.

The Featherbed is a gripping family saga that moves between the tenements of New York's Lower East Side and the stately homes of Toronto's Annex. Strong in plot, character, setting, and style, it is a fully-realised debut from an assured writer.

Genres: Fiction

360 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

John Miller is the award-winning author of three novels of literary fiction. Born in Toronto in 1968, he spent his childhood in Ottawa and Toronto, benefiting from Canada’s bilingual education system.

With a B.A. from McGill and an M.A. in International Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Netherlands, he returned to Toronto in 1992 to begin a career in social services.

After working in positions of progressive responsibility with street-involved youth and at AIDS service organizations, he was hired as the Executive Director of a home-based palliative care hospice. It was around this time that he began writing fiction. After a four-year stint as a senior policy analyst and manager at the Government of Ontario, he set out as a freelance consultant–in organizational development and in international policy and advocacy to improve the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS.

Since 2002, his consulting work has taken him across Canada and internationally to Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, connecting him to a global community of people working to transform social services and systems so that they better serve those most in need. He happily juggles his writing career with a busy but fulfilling consulting schedule.

John’s first novel, The Featherbed (Dundurn, 2002) received stellar reviews and earned him a devoted following. His second novel, A Sharp Intake of Breath (Durdurn, 2007) won the Beatrice and Martin Fischer Award in Fiction for 2008. John's 3rd novel, Wild and Beautiful is the Night, will be published by Cormorant Books in October 2018.

Together with authors Sally Cooper & Elizabeth Ruth, John is a proud member of Big Canvas, the longstanding writers’ circle. He lives in the Cabbagetown district of Toronto, a neighbourhood maggoty with writers.

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1909 Rebecca Ignatow starts her diary, expressing her anger about the marriage her father has arranged for her. 78 years later, her daughters Sadie and Anna are reunited at Rebeccas' funeral. When Anna discovers their mother's journal, she and Sadie find out aspects of their mother's life they could have never imagined, as well as secrets about their family that change the way they view their mother - and themselves - forever.

[Barbara Gard]

Very good

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story.

[Kevin J. Dour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and a great perspective

This book was a great first person narrative through Rebecca's diary. I felt for her and feel like i knew her my entire life. I would recommend this book to anybody. Especially young women or women of all ages.