<P>When retired schoolteacher Charlotte Rainsford is accosted by a petty thief on a London street, the consequences ripple across the lives of friends and strangers alike - a marriage unravels after an illicit love affair is revealed through an errant phone message . . . a posh yet financially strapped interior designer meets a business partner who might prove too good to be true . . . an old-guard historian tries to recapture his youthful vigor with an ill-conceived idea for a TV mini-series.</P><P></P><P>Through a richly conceived and colorful cast of characters, Penelope Lively explores the powerful role of chance in people's lives and illustrates how our paths can be altered so dramatically and easily. Brought to life by her hallmark graceful prose and keen insights into human nature, How It All Began is an engaging contemporary tale sure to strike a chord with her legion of loyal fans. A writer of rare wisdom, elegance and humor, Lively is a consummate storyteller whose gifts are on full display in this masterful work.</P>