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The Voices of Eve #2
A Population of One
This is a fix for the insufficient entry for 0770515754, the first edition.
Willy (Wilhelmina) Doyle has two objectives: to get a job teaching and to marry somebody as promptly as possible – or at the very least to have an affair. This latter plan is labelled The Project. Our heroine is undeterred by the fact that, at 30, she is starting both projects a little late.
The first objective is easily accomplished when Willy gets a job teaching in a university English department, which suits her very well. Progress on The Project, however, is more difficult to measure, in spite of the several men in Willy's new life. It is only after a romantic trip for two that Willy makes real progress on The Project — and comes to know true loneliness.
Told with a wry, self-deprecatory humour that can describe sexual disasters with elegance and affection, this book is part comedy and part tragedy. Readers will enjoy meeting brave, optimistic Willy Doyle.
Willy (Wilhelmina) Doyle has two objectives: to get a job teaching and to marry somebody as promptly as possible – or at the very least to have an affair. This latter plan is labelled The Project. Our heroine is undeterred by the fact that, at 30, she is starting both projects a little late.
The first objective is easily accomplished when Willy gets a job teaching in a university English department, which suits her very well. Progress on The Project, however, is more difficult to measure, in spite of the several men in Willy's new life. It is only after a romantic trip for two that Willy makes real progress on The Project — and comes to know true loneliness.
Told with a wry, self-deprecatory humour that can describe sexual disasters with elegance and affection, this book is part comedy and part tragedy. Readers will enjoy meeting brave, optimistic Willy Doyle.
201 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
2 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Constance Beresford-Howe
11 books13 followersConstance Beresford-Howe was born in Montreal. She received her M.A. from McGill University in 1946 and her Ph.D. from Brown University in 1950. She taught English literature and creative writing at McGill until 1969, then moved to Toronto, Ontario where she taught at Ryerson until her retirement in 1988. Her first novel, The Unreasoning Heart, was published while she was still a student.
Ms Beresford-Howe died in a hospice in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk England, on Jan. 20, 2016 at the age of 93.
Ms Beresford-Howe died in a hospice in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk England, on Jan. 20, 2016 at the age of 93.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 24, 2009
Since there's no description of the book for curious readers, I'll give it a go.
It's a year in the life of Wilhelmina (Willy) Doyle, 30 years old, unmarried and virgin, who has spent the last five years caring for her ailing mother in Toronto. When mother dies, Willy takes a teaching position at a college in Montreal. The job is part one of her "Project" -- part two is finding a man (maybe getting married), but at the least, losing her virginity.
Willy has a Ph.D. in 19th Century Literature, and part of the fun of the book is Willy comparing herself and her friends and co-workers to characters from her favorite books.
She does indeed meet some men -- only one of whom is what we'd consider "eligible". But they're all attractive in their own way (except maybe for the traveling salesman she meets on the train) and we can understand why Willy would consider them as potential lovers.
I won't give away the ending except to say it's not what one might expect. I wish there had been a follow-up -- I'd like to know if Willy keeps her resolve.
It's a year in the life of Wilhelmina (Willy) Doyle, 30 years old, unmarried and virgin, who has spent the last five years caring for her ailing mother in Toronto. When mother dies, Willy takes a teaching position at a college in Montreal. The job is part one of her "Project" -- part two is finding a man (maybe getting married), but at the least, losing her virginity.
Willy has a Ph.D. in 19th Century Literature, and part of the fun of the book is Willy comparing herself and her friends and co-workers to characters from her favorite books.
She does indeed meet some men -- only one of whom is what we'd consider "eligible". But they're all attractive in their own way (except maybe for the traveling salesman she meets on the train) and we can understand why Willy would consider them as potential lovers.
I won't give away the ending except to say it's not what one might expect. I wish there had been a follow-up -- I'd like to know if Willy keeps her resolve.
March 30, 2016
Willy Doyle received her PhD (with distinction) with a thesis on Mrs. Gaskell. (Elizabeth Gaskell), and for family reasons is applying for her first job 5 years later. A 30 year old virgin. And therein lies a tale. She is early for her interview, and goes for a walk and gets lost. "Serves me right, fiddling about with symbolism in broad daylight." She consults her experience in 19th century literature to try to make decisions about her life in Montreal in the 70's. "After all, Lucy Snowe met four men on her visit night in Villette. Yes, strangers meeting. Two lonely people. ...Then the happy ending...lovers united. No more loneliness. Trollope, Bronte, Dickens; they all agreed. So it must be possible." Intriguing and unpredictable.
August 5, 2021
This is the second book in a series of three written by the late author who delves into feminism, strength, resilience, loneliness and relationships.
It is a quiet book as Willy moves to Montreal to escape loneliness after her cold, controlling mother dies leaving her alone without having built relationships in her early adulthood.
With a Phd in hand, she teach at a university and struggles to build relationships. She finally finds love but… no spoilers here…
This book is about independence, loneliness and acceptance. I look forward to reading the next book and am not sure why CBH is not more well known and celebrated?
It is a quiet book as Willy moves to Montreal to escape loneliness after her cold, controlling mother dies leaving her alone without having built relationships in her early adulthood.
With a Phd in hand, she teach at a university and struggles to build relationships. She finally finds love but… no spoilers here…
This book is about independence, loneliness and acceptance. I look forward to reading the next book and am not sure why CBH is not more well known and celebrated?
April 6, 2025
Drily funny but heartbreaking. All 3 of this trilogy were so good but this one in particular hit close to home. Even though (or because?) of that I actually found it really hard to root for this protagonist? She's such a lame wimp. She cries when her colleague plans to get an abortion, she is "shocked" by shoplifting, that kind of thing.
Having read the other two books it's interesting to note the conservative streak that runs through the series. The "modern woman" being appealed to is always anti-abortion, really normie, bemused by and largely against "women's lib" while simultaneously being iconoclastic and outside of society. I am fascinated by this author!
Having read the other two books it's interesting to note the conservative streak that runs through the series. The "modern woman" being appealed to is always anti-abortion, really normie, bemused by and largely against "women's lib" while simultaneously being iconoclastic and outside of society. I am fascinated by this author!
October 20, 2025
It is devastating to me how unknown Constance Beresford-Howe is now, because by god did she understand and capture the character of her women. A rare enjoyed first-person novel is such a treasure to find, and more so when it is set in a place I know at a time from before myself, but one still familiar to me because certain things never change and academic politics is one of them.
September 3, 2025
such an underknown writer!
July 7, 2016
Willy leaves Toronto for a job in Montreal teaching at a university. As a thirtyish woman, her other goal besides teaching is to marry or at least have an affair.
She faces a number of challenges as an English teacher, including revolting students demanding greater rights and boring department meetings. Her secondary goal in terms of marriage or an affair she titles “The Project” and this involves a number of different characters: Louis Phillip the treacherous apartment superintendent, Bill Trueblood the handsome colleague who teaches romantic poetry, Mike Armstrong a student anxious for special attention, Dr Clarke the fierce department head, and George MacKay the real estate salesman with a broken marriage behind him.
A very enjoyable well written book, considerably enhanced by its authentic location.
She faces a number of challenges as an English teacher, including revolting students demanding greater rights and boring department meetings. Her secondary goal in terms of marriage or an affair she titles “The Project” and this involves a number of different characters: Louis Phillip the treacherous apartment superintendent, Bill Trueblood the handsome colleague who teaches romantic poetry, Mike Armstrong a student anxious for special attention, Dr Clarke the fierce department head, and George MacKay the real estate salesman with a broken marriage behind him.
A very enjoyable well written book, considerably enhanced by its authentic location.
July 22, 2012
Excellent read - story of a woman who goes from Toronto to Montreal to seek her fortune.......with a two sided project in mind.......to be a teacher in the University....and to find a man of her own.
The story develops with all the intricacies of relationships as people get to know each other.....The Separatists and the Quebec French speakers do their best and their worst.....the young and the old, men and women, teachers and students, lovers and all the imaginable and unimaginable..
Constance Beresford-Howe does and amazing job of showing us the hows and wherefores with a wonderful sense of humor....
The story develops with all the intricacies of relationships as people get to know each other.....The Separatists and the Quebec French speakers do their best and their worst.....the young and the old, men and women, teachers and students, lovers and all the imaginable and unimaginable..
Constance Beresford-Howe does and amazing job of showing us the hows and wherefores with a wonderful sense of humor....
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews