Mary, Mary
1912
Mary, Mary is a novel by James Stephens, first published in 1912. It follows the life of a young girl named Mary Makebelieve and her mother, Mrs. Makebelieve, as they endure the challenges of poverty in Dublin while dreaming of a better life. The narrative centers on their close relationship, exploring themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of imagination amidst hardship. The story highlights Mary's innocence and hope as she navigates her daily struggles through vivid daydreams and whimsical conversations with her mother.
Editions
X-Ray
“Thank God we’re raising a generation who are so comfortable getting naked online. ‘I’m afraid it looks like you’ve had a stroke. No, my mistake, you’re just buffering.””
— James Stephens
“I know why I want to give blood – for donation feels like an act of thankfulness. It acknowledges that you are alive, and grateful for it, and wish to share the gift of living with someone else for whom living has become, suddenly, perilous.””
— James Stephens
“dwindling bee community.””
— James Stephens
“If there had been a cost for calling an ambulance, I wouldn't have done it. I couldn't have afforded it. I would have let myself die.””
— James Stephens
“No matter how baby-proof you make your home, they will miraculously find a piece of barbed wire or a chainsaw from somewhere and play with””
— James Stephens
“My first, a son, was a natural birth. The pain was a shock. I couldn’t understand how I could be in that much pain but still be alive. I screamed at the midwife, Cynthia, ‘GET ME AN EPIDURAL OR A GUN.’ Happily, they were out of guns and Ahmed, a good-humoured anaesthetist, arrived, injected some manners into me and I apologised to Cynthia.””
— James Stephens
