The Bell Jar

'A literary rite of passage.' The Times

'Plath changed our world.' Guardian

Esther is supposed to be having the time of her life. Her internship at a fashion magazine is a whirl of cocktail parties and dinner dates in the shimmering city. But why doesn't she feel anything? Back home in the suburbs, she is trapped inside a suffocating bell jar. She can’t write her novel; her boyfriend is a hypocrite; there seems no point in getting out of bed. As she spirals into darkness, her world becomes increasingly unreal ...

An unflinchingly honest portrait of a young woman’s breakdown, Sylvia Plath’s iconic The Bell Jar has transformed the lives of millions of readers since it was first published in 1963. Its witty, acidic, razor-sharp voice will stay with you forever.

READ IN AN AUDIOBOOK EDITION BY MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL

ONE OF THE BBC'S '100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD'

Reader responses:
'Plath's masterpiece . . . It's amazing how relevant this book still is.'
'I just couldn't put it down.'
'Ever better than I expected.'