Heaven in Your Hand

by Norah Lofts

Second Impression from May, 1959.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Short Stories, Romance, Historical

384 pages, Hardcover Large Print

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Norah Ethel Robinson Lofts Jorisch (27 August 1904–10 September 1983) was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote over fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories. Many of her novels, including her Suffolk Trilogy, follow the history of a specific house and the residents that lived in it.

Lofts was born in Shipdham, Norfolk in England. She also published using the pseudonyms Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.

Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.

Reviews

[Joe Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in the original 1958 edition in the Travelers Restaurant on Route 84 in Connecticut. It's as good as any collection of short stories I've ever read. Each story is different from all the others. A tour de force by a great writer.

[Tammy Buchli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am generally fond of short stories and these are some of my favorites, beautifully written and evocative. Fair warning -- this collection was published in the late 1950s and most of the stories are actually set many years before then. They are dated, especially in regards to race and class and gender roles. If you are used to reading older works and are capable of putting archaic sexism and racism in context, you will be in for a treat.

[Shadoshard · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book of stories that are dated, I was immensely surprised at how they come off, even by today's standards, and how well the writer can write from other perspectives. Each story is concise and the ending razor perfect. I'd almost go as far as to consider them in the same light as morality plays.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realize that Norah Lofts had a short story collection, but when I found this I had to have it. It had been read to bits already but I didn't mind, I gobbled this up right away. I give it an A+!

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting collection of short stories. Norah Lofts can write from different perspectives - boy, man, girl or woman. I liked the one with the baby best. The "Black Christ" had a hint of supernatural/Gothic atmosphere about it. That one I also liked.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant read and better done over longer periods of time with one or two at a sitting. She could write from many differing points of view. Many, no most readers, would consider these quite dated. But I still found that most of these worked. And a few really contracted a mood, which I like.

Her house books are still much better, though. It makes me super sad that many of them are no longer in the larger library systems. She in her house or placement histories wrote better than 95% of any copy since 1900.

[Gena Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful romance.