Poems from an Attic - Iris Murdoch, Vintage Publishing

A definitive collection of poems by the major twentieth-century novelist and philosopher, newly discovered in the attic of Murdoch's former home. While she is pre-eminent as one of the twentieth century's great novelists and philosophers, Murdoch's life as a poet has languished in the shadows. Yet throughout her life she wrote, revised and re-wrote a sizeable collection of poems, publishing some but keeping many private and - ultimately - shut in a chest in her attic.Their recent discovery marks a significant literary event. Ranging over nearly six decades, these searing, confessional poems balance craft with playfulness, psychological insight with Murdoch's own personal feelings. As an autobiographical account, they are unlike anything else.They shine a new light on Iris Murdoch's turbulent relationships with men and women, her decades-long marriage and extraordinary life. These radically honest poems are for anyone who have at one time or another gone soul-searching in the midst of heartbreak - and for those who have found solace in the quiet joys of friendship.