The Very Fine Clock

by Muriel Spark, Edward Gorey (Illustrator)

Once there was a very fine clock named Ticky, who lived with Professor Horace John Morris and who kept perfect time. In fact, he was the most reliable of all the professor's friends. He was more than that--he was also very wise.

Muriel Spark has given us a charming, gentle tale. Combined with Edward Gorey's sharp and witty pen drawings, THE VERY FINE CLOCK is a VERY FINE picture book.

Genres: Childrens

26 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1968

About the author

Dame Muriel Spark, DBE was a prolific Scottish novelist, short story writer and poet whose darkly comedic voice made her one of the most distinctive writers of the twentieth century. In 2008 The Times newspaper named Spark in its list of "the 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

Spark received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1965 for The Mandelbaum Gate, the Ingersoll Foundation TS Eliot Award in 1992 and the David Cohen Prize in 1997. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993, in recognition of her services to literature. She has been twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize, in 1969 for The Public Image and in 1981 for Loitering with Intent. In 1998, she was awarded the Golden PEN Award by English PEN for "a Lifetime's Distinguished Service to Literature". In 2010, Spark was shortlisted for the Lost Man Booker Prize of 1970 for The Driver's Seat.

Spark received eight honorary doctorates in her lifetime. These included a Doctor of the University degree (Honoris causa) from her alma mater, Heriot-Watt University in 1995; a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris causa) from the American University of Paris in 2005; and Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, St Andrews and Strathclyde.

Spark grew up in Edinburgh and worked as a department store secretary, writer for trade magazines, and literary editor before publishing her first novel, The Comforters, in 1957. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, published in 1961, and considered her masterpiece, was made into a stage play, a TV series, and a film.

Reviews

[Jean-Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muriel Spark's only children's book, and unsurprisingly the most wholesome thing she ever wrote. Quite possibly drafted with a crayon since a pen would have proven much too sharp. Now if only Edward Gorey had illustrated all of her books--thank God he didn't, or they'd be unaffordable.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favourite novelist wrote a single children's book, and it just happens to be illustrated by my favourite artist.

odds, anyone?

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly-accurate clock can be a man's best friend, or so believes Professor Horace John Morris. Muriel Spark's children's book takes the formula talking-pet story and gives it an odd twist by making the pet a "very fine" clock. The story is very simple but also with some subtle quirk-ery likely to appeal more to grownups than to children. Also, the book may not have worked half so well without the Gorey illustrations. One interesting side-note: even in so short a space, Spark's usual themes surrounding the intelligentsia and elitism make a prominent show.

[Caterina · Rating 4 out of 5]

dal sito Adelphi:
L’incontro fatale fra una grande scrittrice e l’illustratore che più le somiglia. Tic è un bellissimo orologio, che vive in una bellissima villa vittoriana. La sua vita scorre tranquilla, sempre in orario. Finché un giorno il professor John e i suoi colleghi non se ne escono con una strana proposta, che potrebbe mettere a soqquadro la sua vita. Una storia ilare e bizzarra che solo la penna di Muriel Spark poteva raccontare, e solo il pennino di Edward Gorey illustrare.

[Nic Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ticky is such a snob.