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      The Female of the Species

      by Lionel Shriver
      Published
      Apr 1987
      Main Genre
      Literary Literary
      Rating
      Pages
      434
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      About This Book

      "Shriver's debut is a 'literary' novel without an iota of pretentiousness. It reads with the grace of a well-written spy story, but conveys some of its author's early wisdom about what our humanity both demands of and grants us." —Washington Post

      The first novel by the New York Times bestselling author Lionel Shriver, The Female of the Species is the exotic and chilling story of a highly independent and successful woman's late-life romantic education, in all its ecstasy and desperation

      Still unattached and childless at fifty-nine, world-renowned anthropologist Gray Kaiser is seemingly invincible—and untouchable. Returning to make a documentary at the site of her first great triumph in Kenya, she is accompanied by her faithful middle-aged assistant, Errol McEchern, who has loved her for years in silence. When sexy young graduate assistant Raphael Sarasola arrives on the scene, Gray is captivated and falls hopelessly in love—before an amazed and injured Errol's eyes. As he follows the progress of their affair with jealous fascination, Errol watches helplessly from the sidelines as a proud and fierce woman is reduced to miserable dependence through subtle, cruel, and calculating manipulation.

      Genres & Themes

      Genres

      General Fiction

      Subgenres

      Literary

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      Jan 2009 HarperPerennial ISBN13 9780061711398 ISBN10 006171139X
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      Jun 1988 Penguin ISBN13 9780140108323 ISBN10 0140108327
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      Hardcover

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      First Edition Apr 1987 Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN13 9780374154424 ISBN10 0374154422
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      Aug 2014 HarperCollins (UK) ISBN13 9780007564019 ISBN10 0007564015
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      eBook

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      Jan 2009 Harper ISBN13 9780061899492 ISBN10 0061899496
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      Sep 2009 HarperCollins ISBN10 B002Q1YCX2
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      Sep 2009 The Borough Press ISBN13 9780007564026 ISBN10 0007564023
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      Audio

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      Aug 2009 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781423397076 ISBN10 142339707X
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      Aug 2009 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781423397083 ISBN10 1423397088
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      Aug 2009 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781423397090 ISBN10 1423397096
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      Aug 2009 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781441802866 ISBN10 144180286X
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      Aug 2009 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781423397106 ISBN10 142339710X
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      Aug 2009 Brilliance Audio ISBN10 B002KE9C1W
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      Jul 2013 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781480543270 ISBN10 1480543276
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      Aug 2013 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781480543263 ISBN10 1480543268
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      Aug 2015 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781501289859 ISBN10 1501289853
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      Mar 2017 HarperCollins Publishers Limited ISBN10 B06VVMDHPQ
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