Welcome to Litsy!

Fleur Talbot is a brilliant character in a glorious tableau of the grotesque and eccentric which is of course the joy of muriel spark. Fleur, a budding novelist, gets a job as secretary to Quentin Oliver ,a charismatic rogue who runs an autobiographical association creating memoir of an odd grp of worthies but fleur's novel may undo his budding blackmail. Witty, dark, acerbic, and written with care in every word Muriel Spark is a genius and joy.

Every time I pick up a muriel spark it is a joy and this sums up what it is about her writing i love, the ability to say in a sentence what other writers may take pages to express; "I've come to learn for myself how little one needs, in the art of writing, to convey the lot, and how a lot of words, on the other hand, can convey so little "

One of my favourite topics for a novel is the writing process. In Loitering with Intent Spark provides tantalising insights into the creative process, the porous line between truth and fiction and where inspiration comes from. A wonderful novella clever , funny, kind and insightful

So pleased to have picked this up in a charity shop. Just started reading it on my commute and I am thrilled by the premise! And the picture is of a neighbour celebrating Chinese New Year

#midyearfaves Day 6 Another brilliant novella on my list. This strange gem really caught me off guard. Aspiring novelist Fleur Talbot is hired as a receptionist/typist for the Autobiographical Association. The Autobiographical Association is comprised of 10 members, only 6 of which are active members. It soon becomes apparent to Fleur that the head of the Association, Sir Quentin, is becoming more self-important & the other members seem to be👇

What a strange gem! Aspiring novelist Fleur Talbot is hired as a receptionist/typist for the Autobiographical Association. Comprised of 10 members, only 6 of which are active members because it soon becomes apparent to Fleur that the head of the Association, Sir Quentin, is becoming more self-important & the other members seem to be reflections of characters in Fleur's novel. Reality & fiction blur in post WW II England, as Spark casts an 👇

What a fantastic novel. Utterly confusing and ridiculous but I love when reality and fiction are blurred! The main character, Fleur Talbot, is awesome and has amazing insights into what it is like having an author‘s mind.

Quentin Oliver is a misogynist and a half. However, Fleur doesn‘t take any nonsense! I‘m loving this so far.

I was assigned this book my senior year of undergrad. I've probably read it a hundred times since, and lots of other Spark, too. I'm so lucky to have been handed this book! "One day in the middle of the twentieth century..." #funfridayphoto

"I was glad of my strong hips and sound cage of ribs to save me from flying apart, so explosive were my thoughts."