'A literary rite of passage.' The Times 'Plath 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.'