Muriel Spark discussion

The BBC's John Tusa interviewed Muriel Spark a few years before her death, with typically pungent and amusing results: http://is.gd/1mc5S

Hi. I've read and listened to that interview a number of times. Thanks. I've read a lot of Spark after falling in love with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I don't know how interested you are but Martin Stannard's authorized biography of Spark has just been published. Finally. I believe he has been working on it--and encountering obstacles--for about 15 years.

Kathleen wrote: "Hi. I've read and listened to that interview a number of times. Thanks. I've read a lot of Spark after falling in love with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I don't know how interested you are but Ma..."

I didn't know the bio had been published. I'd prefer an "unauthorized" version, but I'll read this one.

I hope it doesn't turn out to be some weird, self-serving mess like A. N. Wilson's alleged memoir of Iris Murdoch.

Adrian wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "Hi. I've read and listened to that interview a number of times. Thanks. I've read a lot of Spark after falling in love with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I don't know how interest..."

I'm not sure that "authorized" is the word I was looking for. Anyway, I thought you might like to check this out: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/bo...

Kathleen wrote: "I'm not sure that "authorized" is the word I was looking for. Anyway, I thought you might like to check this out: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books...
"

Thanks! This looks like it will be a lot more substantial than Wilson's shoddy book on Iris Murdoch.

Adrian or Drew, is there a particular book of Iris Murdoch's that you'd recommend? I've never read anything by her and would like to.

Kathleen wrote: "Adrian or Drew, is there a particular book of Iris Murdoch's that you'd recommend? I've never read anything by her and would like to."

Wikipedia has an accurate chronological listing of her novels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_Mur...

If you've never read her work before, I'd suggest avoiding novels published between 1980 - 95. These aren't bad novels, but her writing had become looser, scenes and dialogue are oddly proportioned, and the final results often appear bloated.

Her finest early novels, to me, are The Bell and A Severed Head, a straight-faced comedy from the '60s in which the characters unexpectedly switch sexual partners.

What I consider her strongest works: A Fairly Honourable Defeat, The Black Prince, and The Sea, the Sea, yet this last novel shows signs of the slack writing in her final period.

Usually I have bad results when I recommend a novel. Prends garde à toi! :-)

Adrian wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "Adrian or Drew, is there a particular book of Iris Murdoch's that you'd recommend? I've never read anything by her and would like to."

Wikipedia has an accurate chronological list..."

Thank you for giving that some thought.

Well, late to this conversation as well, but I thought "A Fairly Honourable Defeat" and "The Nice and the Good" were great introductions to Murdoch.

J. wrote: "Well, late to this conversation as well, but I thought "A Fairly Honourable Defeat" and "The Nice and the Good" were great introductions to Murdoch."

Thank you, J. So far, I've only read only The Bell, and I did like it.