The Saint and Artist

February 1, 2002
It is tempting to read Iris Murdoch's novels in terms of her philosophical writings, but such an approach, Conradi argues, fails to grasp the richness of her mature fiction. He demonstrates how her concern with moral psychology and the complexity of humans is better explored in her novels than in her writing on existentialism. When first published in 1986 as Iris Murdoch: The Saint and the Artist (Macmillan), Conradi's was the first book-length study of Murdoch's fiction. It is here reissued in a revised edition to accompany the publication of Conradi's biography of Murdoch (LJ 9/1/01) and now joins fine studies by Maria Antonaccio and Bran Nicol. Conradi reaffirms his estimates of Murdoch's work while also taking into account the novels she had subsequently published. Including a preface by John Bayley, this remains the best and most comprehensive examination of Murdoch's fiction. Recommended for all academic libraries. T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA

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