Booker Prize Icons- Iris Murdoch and the Meeting of Minds

[@speedracer2841]

What a joy it was to watch you babbling so passionately about Iris Murdoch, or simply Iris, as you lovingly refer to her. I laughed and I... er... had a little something in my eye at the end. You read with your mind and your heart.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Thank you so much! And the biography written about her was such a beautiful tribute to her life and character. It moved me so much!

[@meghill4537]

Discovered her decades ago. I adore her, as do you! She and I share a birthday. So delightful. I suddenly need to reread the Philosophers Pupil right now.

[@curioushmm9027]

this was wonderful. thanks bob the booker. i've loved iris murdoch for thirty some years having first come upon her books at used book sales when i was in my forties...for many years i enjoyed her books so much, and being an american ignorant of the booker prize, i thought of her as a guilty pleasure. i had no idea until much later in life that she wasn't just my personal treasure.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Thank you so much! And that’s amazing, so glad to hear it! What are your favourites of hers?

[@curioushmm9027]

it's been too long for most of them for me to remember but recently started reading them again and started with and enjoyed 'the bell'...i too loved bayley's 'iris'

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@curioushmm9027 Sorry, only just seen this! And amazing, I've got 'The Bell' on my shelf! Yes, Bayley's book is stunning!

[@BookishTexan]

I’ve never read Murdoch, but I will now. Thanks

[@BobTheBookerer]

Thank you! I think you might like her!

[@SpringboardThought]

I’d never even heard of her, so thanks for this. What a pleasant video with a pleasant person :)

[@BobTheBookerer]

Ahh, thank you so much! That’s so kind of you!

[@GinaStanyerBooks]

I can’t look at that biography cover without wondering if she cut her hair with garden shears. I think it’s time for a reread , I have an entire shelf of her books but it’s been years!

[@BobTheBookerer]

Hahah, it’s fairly consistent through the pictures in the biography too, but I love the slightly wild look of her hair! And amazing! I’m so intrigued to read more of hers!

[@ELE.gaming135]

Your content fills a void in my life. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Thank you so much!

[@pdxleo]

ha - love it - cosplaying the gay man in her novels. Thank you for such a beautiful literary dive into Iris Murdoch's works and life. I hadn't really heard of her, and definitely adding her to my TBR. This was great.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Haha, thank you! She’s such an interesting author and person, and I hope you like her!

[@josmith5992]

Bob this was a joy! I always forget that so many Iris Murdoch novels were shortlisted for the Booker, I didn’t realize Bruno’s Dream was and I kind of have a soft spot for that one, yes it’s funny but I also thought it was really touching in a lot of ways with poor old Bruno and his ugliness. If you want to read two completely contrasting pictures of gay characters wait until you get to The Unicorn and A Fairly Honorable Defeat, the latter has Simon and Axel who are my favorite characters in a novel that also contains probably one of her most despicable characters. I haven’t read John Bayley’s book but it sounds wonderful, that quote you read made me tear up. I’m planning on reading the Peter J Conradi biography but it’s such a tome I keep putting it off, you think Iris’s big book period would have prepared me!

[@BobTheBookerer]

Thank you so much! And yes, she really racked up a few shortlistings there! And yes, Bruno’s Dream was so lovely, and such a surprise- I didn’t realise what it would be like! And thanks for those recommendations- I’m excited to check them out! The Bayley biography is really quite lovely, and I want to read the Conradi one now!

[@Tinyflypie]

I adore Charles Arrowby.I don't think Iris meant us to dislike him. She was bhuddist and you need to view him through that lense. His food tastes are nursery food and key to understanding his essential simplicity of heart.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Ahh, that’s a great point! Thank you! I found him great fun to read!

[@StephanieJCohen]

I have added several Irish Murdoch novels to my TBR based on your praise of her (and descriptions of her novels) in various videos! I have some of her philosophical works but had never read novels. I look forward to them!

[@BobTheBookerer]

Ahhh, exciting! I hope you enjoy them! And I’ve still never read any of her philosophical book, but they sound great!

[@pdxleo]

just rewatched this to figure out where to start with Iris Murdoch and laughed at the part again "Iris and I are besties" 😂 I got the audio book of 'The Sea, The Sea' but didn't realize until too late that it is not the one narrated by Richard E Grant.... boooo - I love him! (Though Simon Vance is pretty good so far) It also it had a reeeeally long spoilery literary analysis prologue that frustrated me and I finally had to just skip ahead to the start of the book. Your description and analysis of the book was may more captivating. (one measure of this is that I didn't put you on 3x speed to just get through it - haha)

[@BobTheBookerer]

Hahah, thank you! But glad to hear you’re checking her out! I hope you enjoy the audiobook (annoying that there was a spoilery prologue!) but looking forward to your thoughts on it! Also, I’m impressed that you can follow 3x speed!

[@pdxleo]

@@BobTheBookerer Well, I definitely can't follow 3x speed. 2x speed yes, on occasion, but with 3x speed I was trying to get to the end of the prologue (different narrators so I figured that would be fastest. After I realized it was minutes and minutes and minutes I started skipping chapters till I got to the start of the actual book. Maybe it is interesting.... but to put it before the book starts? not cool. I have so many thoughts so far but I am not sure how to tell you how far I am, since there was so much prologue. There are 16 hours 38 minute left, so I'm still pretty close to the beginning.

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@pdxleo Ahhh, I see! And yeah, still fairly early in, but I’m excited to hear your thoughts! And yeah, those prologue bits are sometimes really interesting, but it always annoys me that the information is at the beginning and not at the end- surely those notes are only good if you’ve already the book?

[@pdxleo]

@@BobTheBookerer Yes about the prologue! It was describing all of these characters we hadn't met yet (since the book hadn't even started) and what they symbolized and about his journey as a character and so forth - as if we knew the story - why would they put that before the book? I just don't get it. Maybe they assumed we would all be doing a re-read :D Ok - so - thoughts on the book so far.... I think I glossed over the part where you said Charles was unlikeable and had keyed in on the writing and the humor in your review. oops :) I'm at the part now where Lizzie and Gilbert first show up at Shruff End and we truly see what an ass Charles is. Murdoch portrays that well - especially the difference between what he thinks and what he says - and the way he wants to be in control and be served - it gives me an unpleasant visceral response. Can I chuck him into the sea? 😁 It's interesting for me too, from the prospective of an aspiring author - because I think one of the reasons I'm stuck editing my own novel with a crap draft one is that I want everyone to be likeable! ha! sigh. That especially doesn't work with a murder mystery. Another thing about the book that I find interesting is the narrative structure, and I'm curious about the choices she is making, some of which I'm sure will have the deeper meaning explained when I listen to the prologue on regular speed :D But for example, I'm curious about her creative process in those first few chapters in which Charles is introducing us to himself and the house, his habits, his past, etc. I like how she did it, but - I guess what I'm trying to say badly is that I marvel how authors can maintain interest and motion in a long section of not much action. Well, I don't know if any of that makes sense, but there's my thoughts so far. 🙂

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@pdxleo That totally makes sense, and I love your thoughts on it! Yes, it’s amazing that in that opening section, Charles just talks about food but I was so bought into it. He’s truly an awful human, but I love how fun it is to listen to him being terrible. And definitely with you on the unlikable character thing- it’s tough to pull off without them seeming either cartoon-like or off-putting, but I think she does it very well!

[@MsReadsAlot]

Thanks so much for the background on Murdoch. There are 6 of her books on my 1001 list. Not all the booker books are on there though which is interesting! Hopefully I will be able to get to the soon! Is there I book of Murdoch’s think I should read first? The biography would destroy me as well. Alzheimer’s is such a horrible disease

[@BobTheBookerer]

Thank you, and my pleasure! Ooh, exciting! How’s that challenge going? And it’s a tough read, the biography, but has some real moments of beauty and lightness. And right, it’s a really horrible disease.

[@MsReadsAlot]

@@BobTheBookerer the challenge is progressing well since I finished 20 books! We lost my mother in law to Alzheimer’s so any book featuring it is difficult. Burnt sugar was extremely hard hitting.

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@MsReadsAlot Ah nice! Go you! And so sorry to hear it- that sounds rough. And yes, Burnt Sugar hit me hard for the same reason!

[@jenniferlovesbooks]

I am currently reading my first Iris Murdoch (The Unicorn, which I saw randomly on the library return shelf) and it's so good, can't believe I have never read her before. Looking forward to working my way through all her books, and also the memoir at some point.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Ooh, exciting! I’m excited to check it out, and glad you’re enjoying it! She’s such an interesting author!

[@johncrwarner]

The James Tait Black Memorial Prize is a very interesting prize in the sense that I had not heard of it before but reading the list of winners I have read a surprisingly large number of winners at least pre-millennium Have you considered becoming "Bob the Blacker"? LOL BTW I have ordered "The Sovereignty of Good" one of her philosophy books as I come from a philosophy reading background (I relearnt French in the 1990s to read Emmanuel Lévinas in the original language as the translations into English seemed to tidy things up too much) Plus she was friends with / knew G. E. M. Anscombe and Philippa Foot both of whom I have read works by and value as thinkers. I also went for John Bayley's memoir Iris because I remember the film so well and though my mother who is 91 doesn't have Alzheimer's she is becoming "forgetful" as sadly is my partner who is a mere 75 years old. I have read so many books on Alzheimer's recently.

[@BobTheBookerer]

Yes, it’s a really interesting prize! I think it’ll be the next one I check out after the Booker! Ah wow, that book sounds interesting! And all the best- that sounds tough, and I hope all is well!

[@johncrwarner]

@@BobTheBookerer The James Tait Black Memorial Prize looks like it might be announced in latish August at the Edinburgh International Book Festival Probably worth checking out as Ducks Newburyport won last year LOL I taught myself philosophical French so reading Iris Murdoch's philosophy shouldn't be too hard LOL

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@johncrwarner Yeah, I think around then! I’ve really liked a lot of their winners, so I trust it quite a lot! Haha, brilliant!

[@attention5638]

I have known Iris Murdoch for her moral philosophy, but haven't read any of her fiction. She has a great discussion on philosophy in literature on KZbin. I will try to find the link, if you are interested!

[@BobTheBookerer]

Ahh, interesting! And that would be wonderful, thank you!

[@attention5638]

@@BobTheBookerer kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2WacmN3otarh6c Also, I e been meaning to say, i didn't forget about the buddy read, my Voxer is just being buggy and not letting me do much right now. Going to try and fix that this week.

[@BobTheBookerer]

@@attention5638 thank you! And no hurry- let me know if it’s easier for me to try to add you!