MODERN & CONTEMPORARY FICTION (POST C 1945). An arrow in flight, or a flash of forked lightning: you know the way a flash of lightning appears to be there all in the sky at once? Beginning, middle and end, all there at once. First published in the 1960s to great critical acclaim, Mary Lavin's In the Middle of the Fields explores lives that are rich and secretive, peculiar and intimate, and poignant and restrictive with sharp insight into the quiet tragedies and joys of humanity. Searing with an intimate and often effortless wisdom and mystery, Mary Lavin's exploration of the private and heart-breaking issues that define us all will have a lasting impression, as well as offering a dynamic view of the restrictive, Catholic, patriarchal society of 1960s Ireland.