Murdoch The Philosopher...

That's Iris, you understand, not Rupert...

As a "proper" author, with my name in print (yes, well, ok... one chapter!) I am always keen to plug any of my friends who have a similar literary bent... (meaning that I like to bask in their reflected glory, but let's gloss over that little point...)

Dr. Miles Leeson, Lecturer in English Literature at Portsmouth University, has written Iris Murdoch: Philosophical Novelist, a book about some of her fictional and philosophical works, which particularly considers how "...the history of philosophy is more prevalent in Iris Murdoch's fiction than is usually given credit..."

As I explained to Miles, (that's him on the right of the photo, taken during the Faith Summer Break a few years back) I once attempted to read a book by Iris Murdoch - so long ago that I forget which - and never made it to the end of the first chapter. However, I suspect that this says more about me than it does about her writing, and reading the introduction to Leeson's work has actually spurred me on to give her another go. This is no mean feat - to paraphrase someone or other, philosophy is a closed book to me, and, if I had my way, a burned and buried one too...

The book is published by Continuum Press, but is £3 cheaper on Amazon. This is not a light read - it is more an in-depth analysis for students of English Literature and Philosophy, and this is reflected in the price (£57 for the hardback on Amazon) - I shall, however, look forward to its release in paperback!