Iris Murdoch

Iris Murdoch is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.

This collection brings together friends, colleagues, fellow and past students, and those who worked with her to celebrate Iris Murdoch’s life, and mark the centenary of her birth. All contributors reflect on the impact that Murdoch had on their lives as friend, guide, and inspiration. This collection adds substantially to the biographical works already published, and gives a more rounded vision of her both as an intellectual, and a woman who valued her time out of the public eye.  Finally, her friend, and fellow author, A. N. Wilson reflects on his own biography of Murdoch, the impact she had on his own life and writing, and why she was, ultimately, only fully knowable to herself. 

Included are many previously unpublished unique photographs of Iris relaxing and in the company of her closest friends. 

This centenary celebration of Iris Murdoch’s life comprises eighteen tributes from various points of view. Whether she is glimpsed in these pages as a friend, a tutor, a godmother or a writer, or seen from the perspective of a child, a publisher, a politician or a portraitist, the picture that emerges remains constant: gracious, tolerant, fun-loving and wise. In its illustration of the depth of her humanity, this unique portrait of Iris Murdoch will enrich her status as one of the twentieth-century’s most significant writers and thinkers.

Anne Rowe, Visiting Professor at the University of Chichester and author of Iris Murdoch (Writers and their Work series) co-author of Iris Murdoch: A Literary Life

This is a book of tributes to Iris Murdoch from those who knew her personally. They show her to be the best of friends: modest, imaginative, loyal, very generous, genuinely interested in others and, above all, immensely kind. It is clear from these short essays that Murdoch did not just think about goodness: she tried to live it every day. Iris Murdoch: A Centenary Celebration offers a fresh perspective on a great author and will be welcomed by both scholars and general readers alike.

Avril Horner, Emeritus Professor of English at Kingston University and Co-Editor of Living on Paper: Letters from Iris Murdoch 1934-1995