The Book Shop Study Guide

Chapter 1 introduces widow Florence Green and some of the inhabitants of Hardborough, East Anglia in 1959. Hardborough is an isolated, English, seaside town described as being like an island between sea and river. Its people are used to the isolation and lack of facilities. Listed as the towns' lonely are the bank manager; naturalists; the reed cutter; the postman; Mr. Raven, the marshman; Mr. Brundish, a recluse from a long line of old Suffolk families; and Florence Green herself. (read more)