The Bell Jar

About the book

A literary rite of passage.' The Times 'She changed our world.' Guardian Esther is supposed to be having the time of her life. Her internship at a fashion magazine is a whirl of cocktail parties and dinner dates in the shimmering city. But why doesn't she feel anything? Back home in the suburbs, she is trapped inside a suffocating bell jar . She can't write her novel; her boyfriend is a hypocrite; there seems no point in getting out of bed. As she spirals into darkness, her world becomes increasingly unreal ... An unflinchingly honest portrait of a young woman's breakdown, Sylvia Plath's iconic The Bell Jar has transformed the lives of millions of readers since it was first published in 1963. Its witty, acidic, razor-sharp voice will stay with you forever. READ IN AN AUDIOBOOK EDITION BY MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL ONE OF THE BBC'S '100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD' Reader responses: 'Plath's masterpiece . . . It's amazing how relevant this book still is.' 'I just couldn't put it down.' 'Ever better than I expected.'

Get a copy

• Bookshop.orgSupports independent shops
• WaterstonesBuy or reserve in store
• KoboEbook
• WorldCatFind it in a library

Discussed 2 times

• Long Term TBR · 04/02/2026
• Books we've read over the summer · 01/10/2025