The Trick Is to Keep Breathing

By Janice Galloway

The widely-celebrated debut from one of Scotland's most important authors, which tells the stark and honest story of a woman struggling to cope with the loss of her lover, that is often compared to The Bell Jar.

Now available again after its initial Dalkey Archive publication in 1994, Janice Galloway's inventive first novel is about the grief and breakdown of Joy Stone, who is pushed to the limits of loneliness. The 27-year-old drama teacher spirals into anguish and self-blame after the accidental drowning of her married lover. While the novel paints a portrait of a woman enduring great emotional suffering, it is also a story of warmth and humanity; it's the wit and irony found in moments of despair that prove to be Joy's salvation. First published by Polygon, an independent Scottish press, in 1989, the re-release of The Trick Is To Keep Breathing is a gift to today's readers.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1628976454
• ISBN13: 9781628976458
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Dalkey Archive Press
• Length: 350 Pages