Margaret Forster, who began publishing fiction in 1964, has had an extraordinary career, producing twenty-nine books, including biography, fictionalized autobiography, one edition of poetry, three books of memoirs, and most significantly, nineteen novels. Her longevity and sustained high level of achievement have been recognized by external awards--but mostly in the field of nonfiction. Several of her biographies have won awards; even her Rich Desserts & Captain's Thin: A Family & Their Times, 1831-1931 (1997), the history of a family of Carlisle biscuit makers, won a Lex award, given by the Financial Times (London) for the best work of business history. Her novels, on the other hand, reap the rewards of publication and good sales but seem critically undervalued. Have the Men Had Enough" (1989) was short-listed for the Sunday Express Book of the Year Award in 1989. This prize, which she did not win, was created to celebrate more "readable"--that is, more popular...