Janice Galloway The Trick Is to Keep Breathing review and information about the novel from 1989 by the Scottish author. Dalkey Archive Press will publish the reissue of the 1989 novel written by Janice Galloway, the author from Scotland on May 26, 2026. Here you can read information about the content of the book, the author and the publication.
Janice Galloway The Trick Is to Keep Breathing reviews and information
Whenever a review of The Trick Is to Keep Breathing, the 1989 novel by Janice Galloway, appears in the media, we’ll highlight it on this page.
- “This is like a Scottish Catcher in the Rye. You actually feel you’re inside this woman’s head, it is that visceral. And having experienced a downward spiral myself, I so admire her accuracy in every detail.” (Alan Cumming, The New York Times)
- “A real achievement; its dialogue sparks and its voice is true. For Janice Galloway the trick is simply to keep writing.” (Scotsman)
The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
- Author: Janice Galloway (Scotland)
- Book type: Scottish novel from 1989
- Publisher: Dalkey Archive Press
- To be released: May 26, 2026
- Length: 350 pages
- Format: paperback / ebook
- Prize: € 16,95 / € 8,95
- Buying options >
Blurb op de 1989 novel by Janice Galloway, the Scottish author
The widely-celebrated debut from one of Scotland’s most important authors, which tells the stark and honest story of a woman struggling to cope with the loss of her lover, that is often compared to The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.
Now available again after its initial Dalkey Archive publication in 1994, Janice Galloway’s inventive first novel is about the grief and breakdown of Joy Stone, who is pushed to the limits of loneliness. The 27-year-old drama teacher spirals into anguish and self-blame after the accidental drowning of her married lover. While the novel paints a portrait of a woman enduring great emotional suffering, it is also a story of warmth and humanity; it’s the wit and irony found in moments of despair that prove to be Joy’s salvation.
First published by Polygon, an independent Scottish press, in 1989, the re-release of The Trick Is To Keep Breathing is a gift to today’s readers.
Janice Galloway was born December 2, 1955 in Ayrshire, Scotland 
Her debutnovel, The Trick Is To Keep Breathing, was initially published by Polygon in 1989. This novel, now regarded as a Scottish classic, was shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel, Scottish First Book, Italia Premio Acerbi and Aer Lingus Awards. In 2023, Galloway was prestigiously elected A Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature.
