Author:A. S. Byatt
First published in 1965, A.S. Byatt's Degrees of Freedom examined the first eight novels of Iris Murdoch, identifying freedom as a central theme in all of them, and looking at Murdoch's interest in the relations between art and goodness, master and slave, and the novel of character in the nineteenth century sense. Drawing on Iris Murdoch's own critical and philosphical writing, A.S. Byatt discussed her interest in the thought of Sartre, Plato, Freud and Simone Weil, and related this to the form of the novels themselves.
This edition of Degrees of Freedom has an added dossier of later essays and reviews of Iris Murdoch's work by A.S Byatt, taking us up to the publication of The Book and the Brotherhood in 1987. It also includes a substantial pamplet written for the British Council which follows Murdoch's fiction as far as The Good Apprentice.
Indispensable fto anyone wanting to understand what it is that Iris Murdoch is up to
—— Stephen Wall , The ListenerAn extremely intelligent and penetrating piece of work
—— Frank Kermode , GuardianByatt is a wonderful writer, constantly engaging wherever she takes us
—— The TimesThe great merit of Byatt's writing... is that it continually engages the reader's mind
—— Daily TelegraphHer prose is rich, flawless, intricate, audacious and utterly beautiful
—— Raymond MortimerEverything that Colette touched became human
—— The TimesThis most French of all French writers . . . One thinks of her as the female voice of Paris . . . It's as if all the house fronts of Paris were cut away and we could see men and women talking, dressing, brooding, loving
—— New York TimesMisogynistic violence, ancient myth and modern rage confront each other in moving and dynamic verse.
—— Maria Crawford , Financial Times, *Books of the Year*Benson is one of the finest English poets writing today.
—— Week[Benson] is bravely and unfashionably, a high Romantic.
—— Tristram Fane Saunders , Daily Telegraph[Wroe] captures here the essential spirit of the saint – himself a poet after all, whose work has never died – making this a delight to read. A book not to be missed.
—— Peter Costello , Irish CatholicThis is a book full of complex engagements with the word and the flesh, and the counterpointed rhythms of the sacred and the secular. Wroe’s book is a praise song, vindicating the worlds beyond our rationalist compass.
—— David Wheatley , GuardianThe spiritual is vivid through quality and vitality in this poetry. Wroe’s writing method is incarnational, translating the apparently mundane into rich parables.
—— Martyn Halsall , Church TimesAn elegant hardback with ambitions beyond the poetry shelves… Ann Wroe’s unusual and impressive book is less a Life of Francis than a series of…epiphanies and personal revelations inspired by his imagined company.
—— John Greening , Times Literary SupplementThis joyous and thoughtful tribute leaves you wanting more.
—— Sophie Ratcliffe , TLSBy Jove! It's a ripping old yarn... Dashed agreeably close to the master.
—— Daily MailA hugely enjoyable caper
—— The WeekThere are laughs and admirable ingenuity in Schott’s confection
—— Irish TimesA book that is so close in spirit and style to the PG Wodehouse originals it’s like the real thing
—— The SportTop-notch fun.
—— S magazineSucceeds triumphantly, both as light entertainment and as a tribute to the master
—— Country & Town HouseIn his first foray into PG Wodehouse homage/imitation/pastiche (whichever it may be) Schott appeared to hit the Wodehouse target dead on.
—— RTEJonathan Coe's Middle England is brilliantly insightful on the times we are living in
—— Mishal Husain, Books of the Year , Big IssueLet me add to the chorus of praise for Jonathan Coe's new book Middle England. Easily my favourite of his since What a Carve Up! Which did for Thatcherism what Middle England does for Brexit
—— John CraceAn astute, enlightened and enlightening journey into the heart of our current national identity crisis. Both moving and funny. As we'd expect from Coe
—— Ben EltonFrom post-industrial Birmingham to the London riots and the current political gridlock, it takes in family, literature and love in a comedy for our times
—— GuardianCoe can make you smile, sigh, laugh; he has abundant sympathy for his characters
—— ScotsmanThis book is sublimely good. State of the (Brexit) nation novel to end them all, but also funny, tender, generous, so human and intelligent about age and love as well as politics
—— India KnightProbably the best English novelist of his generation
—— Nick HornbyNo modern novelist is better at charting the precariousness of middle-class life
—— ObserverAn angry and exuberant book
—— Sunday Times on 'Number 11'Jonathan Coe has established himself as one of the most entertaining chroniclers of our times
—— TatlerYou can't stop reading....I was haunted for days
—— Independent on 'Number 11'