New ArrivalsEasterClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesHomeKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenFurnitureGroceryHousehold EssentialsBabyBeautyPersonal CareHealthWellnessBackpacks & LuggageSports & OutdoorsToysElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksSchool & Office SuppliesParty SuppliesGift IdeasGift CardsPetsUlta Beauty at TargetShop by CommunityTarget OpticalDealsClearanceTarget New ArrivalsEasterWomen’s Western OutfitsTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores
Gaining Ground - by  Joan Barfoot (Paperback) - 1 of 1

Gaining Ground - by Joan Barfoot (Paperback)

$17.95

Pre-order

Free 90-day return by mail or in store

Free 90-day return by mail or in store

Return this item by mail or in store within 90 days for a full refund.
Eligible for registries and wish lists

About this item

Highlights

  • Unearthed after half a century, this radical portrait of a woman who leaves her family to live alone in a woodland cabin will pierce the heart of anybody who has ever wanted to escape.I swear I loved them all, and I did the best I could.
  • About the Author: Joan Barfoot (born 1946) is the author of eleven novels.
  • 208 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Literary

Description



Book Synopsis



Unearthed after half a century, this radical portrait of a woman who leaves her family to live alone in a woodland cabin will pierce the heart of anybody who has ever wanted to escape.

I swear I loved them all, and I did the best I could. And then I left them, left all of it.

Abra is a wife and mother living a suburban dream--until one day, she walks away. In a woodland cabin, her new life alone begins. There are no mirrors, no clocks, no memories: just the squirrels breathing in the forest, and silence of vegetables growing. Years later, a young woman arrives, and the past-flashes begin. Daughter? A strange word. Is this her? And what will this mean?

Gaining Ground, published as Abra in North America, is a both a radical meditation on living on your own terms and an exquisite work of art. It calls to anybody who has ever wanted to escape--who has asked what it costs to be wild, to be sane, to be free.

"One of those rare books which put you in touch with yourself as deftly and as deeply as The Bell Jar." --Nell Dunn, author of The Muse



Review Quotes




"Thousands of women will recognise a sister." - Good Housekeeping

"One of those rare books which put you in touch with yourself as deftly and as deeply as The Bell Jar." - Nell Dunn

"The sheer brilliance of Barfoot's writing is enough to take your breath away. She is among the best prose stylists of her generation." - A Reader's Guide to the Canadian Novel




About the Author



Joan Barfoot (born 1946) is the author of eleven novels. Her books, which reviewers have celebrated as "harrowing and hilarious" and "gloriously subversive", have been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. A recipient of the Marian Engel Award, she has also been a journalist during much of her career. She lives in London, Ontario, Canada.
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 208
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Literary
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Format: Paperback
Author: Joan Barfoot
Language: English
Street Date: August 25, 2026
TCIN: 1007397247
UPC: 9780571399888
Item Number (DPCI): 247-05-5404
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 1 inches width x 1 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.
See the return policy for complete information.

Additional product information and recommendations

Discover more options

Looking for the Perfect Beat - by Arthur Baker

$18.95 - $21.67
MSRP $19.95 - $34.95 Lower price on select items

Keegan - by Anthony Quinn

$15.95 - $18.71
MSRP $15.95 - $22.95

Three Revolutions - by Simon Hall

$17.95 - $24.35
MSRP $17.95 - $34.95

Scanty Plot of Ground - by Paul Muldoon

$15.95 - $20.63
MSRP $15.95 - $22.95

Asteroid City - by Wes Anderson

$13.22 - $15.76
MSRP $16.95 - $21.95

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy

Footer

About Us

About TargetCareersNews & BlogTarget BrandsBullseye ShopSustainability & GovernancePress CenterAdvertise with UsInvestorsAffiliates & PartnersSuppliersTargetPlus

Help

Target HelpReturnsTrack OrdersRecallsContact UsFeedbackAccessibilitySecurity & FraudTeam Member ServicesLegal & Privacy

Stores

Find a StoreClinicPharmacyTarget OpticalMore In-Store Services

Services

Target Circle™Target Circle™ CardTarget Circle 360™Target AppRegistrySame Day DeliveryOrder PickupDrive UpFree 2-Day ShippingShipping & DeliveryMore Services
PinterestFacebookInstagramXYoutubeTiktokTermsCA Supply ChainPrivacy PolicyCA Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesInterest Based AdsHealth Privacy Policy