Under The Net (Vintage Classics Murdoch Series)

Description

The novel that launched Iris Murdoch's career - now republished as part of the Vintage Classics Murdoch Series - six gorgeous editions of her best, funniest and most subversive novels published to mark her centenary. 'This is real life, Jake,' she said. 'You'd better wake up.' Jake is clever, lazy and scraping by in London as a hack translator. Jake loves Anna. Anna is an elusive and lovely singer. Anna loves Hugo. Hugo is a fireworks manufacturer turned movie producer and majestic philosopher. Hugo loves Sadie. Sadie is a glossy and dazzling film starlet. Of course, Sadie loves Jake. Then there's Marvellous Mister Mars, the famous hound, who might or might not be Jake's ticket up and out of this mess. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CHARLOTTE MENDELSON VINTAGE CLASSICS MURDOCH- Funny, subversive, fearless and fiercely intelligent, Iris Murdoch was one of the great writers of the twentieth century. To celebrate her centenary Vintage Classics presents special editions of her greatest and most timeless novels.

Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin in 1919. She read Classics at Somerville College, Oxford, and after working in the Treasury and abroad, was awarded a research studentship in Philosophy at Newnham College, Cambridge. In 1948 she returned to Oxford as fellow and tutor at St Anne's College and later taught at the Royal College of Art. Until her death in 1999, she lived in Oxford with her husband, the academic and critic, John Bayley. She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1987 and in the 1997 PEN Awards received the Gold Pen for Distinguished Service to Literature.

Under the Net announces the emergence of a brilliant talent * Times Literary Supplement * A dazzling story, light and comic in touch * The Times * This is a comedy with that touch of ferocity about it which makes for excitement -- Elizabeth Jane Howard I was drawn to the intellectual speculation and psychological depth of Murdoch's writing, and the experience of reading her brought the realisation that, for me, thinking would always be the greater part of reading -- Aminatta Forna