Anne Tyler's contemporary response to Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew follows the story of college drop-out Kate Battista, who keeps house for her widowed father and 15 year old sister, Bianca.

Kate also works at a preschool nursery where her forthright ways win her the affection of the children but are not appreciated by the school's principal who would prefer her to exercise a little tact, restraint and diplomacy when dealing with the parents.

When her obsessively dedicated scientist father makes uncharacteristic use of his mobile phone to summon her to his lab, she is not prepared for what he has in mind.

Omnibus of the first five of ten parts read by Liza Ross.

Anne Tyler's novels include Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (1983), The Accidental Tourist (1985) and the Pulitzer Prize–winning, Breathing Lessons (1988). She’s also won the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, the Ambassador Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2012, Anne won The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence.

Abridged by Isobel Creed

Producer: Jill Waters

A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2016. Show less