Laced with social and political commentary this thought-provoking literary novel is a story of motherhood, its doubts and triumphs.

The Pure Gold Baby will raise your spirits and break your heart. Anna is the smiling child with special, unknowable qualities, who also presents profound challenges. And Jess is her charismatic single mother. Over the course of decades, we observe how much Jess loves her surprising daughter, who touches the lives of those around her.

With characteristic intelligence, sympathy and wit, Drabble writes about parenthood, about friendship and ultimately about the way we care for one another in today's society. A captivating novel from one of the world's most respected and admired literary figures.