The Sea, The Sea (Vintage Classics Murdoch Series)

The Sea, The Sea (Vintage Classics Murdoch Series)

A BBC Between the Covers Big Jubilee Read Pick

Summary

''I saw a monster rising from the waves.'

**A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BIG JUBILEE READ PICK**
**Winner of the Man Booker Prize 1978**

Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation. He buys a mysteriously damp house on the coast, far from the heady world of the theatre where he made his name, and there he swims in the sea, eats revolting meals and writes his memoirs. But then he meets his childhood sweetheart Hartley, and memories of her lovely, younger self crowd in - along with more recent lovers and friends - to disrupt his self-imposed exile. So instead of 'learning to be good', Charles proceeds to demonstrate how very bad he can be.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY DAISY JOHNSON

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.

Reviews

  • It isn't all brainy fantasising in Murdochland; there's wild swimming, appalling sandwiches, death, madness and sex.
    Guardian

About the author

Iris Murdoch

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.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more