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.

"Marvellous. Compulsive reading, hugely funny" Spectator "We are back, of course, with great delight, in the land of Iris Murdoch, which is like no other but Prospero's" Sunday Telegraph "The most daring and original of all her novels" -- A. N. Wilson "Never for a moment does one want to stop reading... I don't think Iris Murdoch has ever written better prose" Daily Telegraph "Ambitious, unique and ingeniously plotted" -- Joyce Carol Oates New York Times

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.

"Marvellous. Compulsive reading, hugely funny" Spectator "We are back, of course, with great delight, in the land of Iris Murdoch, which is like no other but Prospero's" Sunday Telegraph "The most daring and original of all her novels" -- A. N. Wilson "Never for a moment does one want to stop reading... I don't think Iris Murdoch has ever written better prose" Daily Telegraph "Ambitious, unique and ingeniously plotted" -- Joyce Carol Oates New York Times

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.

"Marvellous. Compulsive reading, hugely funny" Spectator "We are back, of course, with great delight, in the land of Iris Murdoch, which is like no other but Prospero's" Sunday Telegraph "The most daring and original of all her novels" -- A. N. Wilson "Never for a moment does one want to stop reading... I don't think Iris Murdoch has ever written better prose" Daily Telegraph "Ambitious, unique and ingeniously plotted" -- Joyce Carol Oates New York Times