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A Severed Head
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
22 posts | 18 read | 14 to read
A novel about the frightfulness and ruthlessness of being in love Martin Lynch-Gibson believes he can possess both a beautiful wife and a delightful lover. But when his wife, Antonia, suddenly leaves him for her psychoanalyst, Martin is plunged into an intensive emotional reeducation. He attempts to behave beautifully and sensibly. Then he meets a woman whose demonic splendor at first repels him and later arouses a consuming and monstrous passion. As his Medusa informs him, this is nothing to do with happiness. A Severed Head was adapted for a successful stage production in 1963 and was later made into a film starring Claire Bloom, Lee Remick, Richard Attenborough, and Ian Holm.
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Cazxxx
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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A book I‘ve been meaning to read for years.
Tell me a book you‘ve been meaning to read for a long time?

The_Book_Ninja Lord of the Rings 14mo
BarbaraBB I have this one on my TBR shelves as well. I hope it‘s good! 14mo
Ruthiella I liked The Severed Head a lot. One book I‘ve been meaning to read for ages is (edited) 14mo
See All 17 Comments
SamAnne East of Eden. 14mo
Cazxxx @The_Book_Ninja I‘ve only read the first book and keep meaning to read the rest 14mo
Cazxxx @BarbaraBB I‘m enjoying it but think it would‘ve been better as a physical or kindle book 14mo
Cazxxx @Ruthiella This sounds interesting 🤔 14mo
Cazxxx @SamAnne I liked that a lot 14mo
BarbaraBB @SamAnne Don‘t wait too long, it is SO good! Same goes for you @Ruthiella 😄 14mo
Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja 😱 Read it instantly! 🧐 (😄) 14mo
Bookwomble I'll weigh in with 1984 to give JT an opportunity for a return swipe 😁 14mo
The_Book_Ninja @Bookwomble I‘ve spent my whole life avoiding spoilers. Even harder since the films came out. Strangely enough I‘ve read the hobbit more times than I remember as well as to my kids growing up 14mo
The_Book_Ninja @Bookwomble I started to read it in 1983 as a teenager thinking I should read it before ‘84 happened. I‘ll hold my hands up…I was so bored I bailed. I did enjoy Animal Farm though 14mo
Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja I think a thorough grounding in The Hobbit is a nice set up for LotR 😊 If you fancy a buddy read sometime, I'd be up for that, but fair warning that I'd be an insufferable Tolkien nerd, so you would not offend me if you decided to go solo! 🤓 14mo
Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja I enjoyed Animal Farm, too, which I read only a couple of years ago. 14mo
The_Book_Ninja @Bookwomble we‘ve hijacked this thread😂 I will deffo buddy read book one with you soon…I won‘t start until I let you know and you can decide if you are still up for it. I may read The Hobbit again as prep…I love that book so profoundly that any excuse will do. Also, It could be good to do such a thing with a Tolkien nerd 14mo
Bookwomble @The_Book_Ninja Ok, let me know when you've girded your loins! And, yes, I was thinking the same thing about the thread. Apologies, @Cazxxx 🙇🏻‍♂️ Hopefully this tangent has held some interest for you 😁 14mo
44 likes1 stack add17 comments
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Ruthiella
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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@LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen

Hey, there‘s a book plate in my Iris Murdoch paperback! I probably wouldn‘t have even noticed were it not for you two! 😀

#bookplates

Leftcoastzen Very cool!Thanks for posting , I have a couple of Murdoch‘s to get to. 4y
LeahBergen Oh, I like that one (and I usually do a Google search of the name 🤫😆😆)! 4y
KVanRead That‘s a nice one! 4y
38 likes3 comments
review
BarbaraBB
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

What a strange book. Six people in London, living a merry go round of relationships. With eachother. They are so unlikable, all of them. And stubborn and vain and stupid. Murdoch did a great job making me feel this way but in the end it‘s certainly not my favorite book by her.

#1001books #stdb2018 #ATY2019 Book inspired by something borrowed

Reviewsbylola Yeah the characters sound very frustrating! 5y
RaimeyGallant Is it a mystery? 5y
BarbaraBB @RaimeyGallant No, I wonder too why that sworth is on the cover! 5y
RaimeyGallant Lol :) 5y
69 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Sarah83
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

Mhm.... Still don't know what to think about it... #stdb2018 I believe it will take some more time to understand...

Aimeesue Murdock always leaves me feeling that way too. 🤔 6y
BarbaraBB Looking forward to this one. I usually looove Murdoch! 6y
63 likes2 comments
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Sarah83
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Time for some reading... Still need to read this for our buddyread #stdb2018 .... #24b4Monday @Andrew65

Andrew65 Can‘t beat a severed head as a reading snack. 😳😂🤣😂🤣🤪 6y
Andrew65 A great entry for #24B4MondayGiveaway 6y
Sarah83 @Andrew65 Well.... 😂😂😂 It's 'teatime' now... 😂😂😂 6y
See All 6 Comments
rubyslippersreads @Andrew65 @Sarah83 As long as you‘re not reading a book about Anne Boleyn! 😂 6y
Andrew65 @rubyslippersreads That would certainly meet a theme. 😂 6y
71 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Sarah83
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Look what arrived today. 😍 Thank you @tricours for the sweets and the funny bookmarks. 😊

Will try to catch up with our #stdb2018 pretty soon. @BarbaraBB @Dulcinella #1001swap

MommyWantsToReadHerBook I hope you like the Iris Murdoch! 6y
73 likes1 comment
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Liz_M
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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August TBR. It's not as need as it looks -- for three of the tomes pictured I am only reading one of the novels in the omnibus.

Billypar The Beckett is on my TBR shelf....it won't be August, but I will get to it one of these days. I'll look out for your review! 6y
BarbaraBB Some heavy reading among these! I enjoyed the Green ones! 6y
arubabookwoman I kind of liked Day of the Dolphin, but I have no idea as to why it was included on the 1001 list. I read the Green and the Beckett way back in college. I have no desire to revisit Beckett, but I might reread the Green someday, since I have absolutely no recollection of it. (edited) 6y
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JenniferP Possession!!! I loved that book. 6y
Liz_M @Billypar Don't hold your breath; I still haven't reviewed my June reads. 😁 6y
Liz_M @arubabookwoman I enjoy Beckett's plays but am having trouble with Molloy. 😔 6y
Liz_M @BarbaraBB I am looking forward to Living! 6y
Liz_M @JenniferP I loved it when I first read it a long time ago. I hope the reread is as good! 6y
15 likes8 comments
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oonaghmoon
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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I read A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch last autumn. The November gloom and chilly intellectualism of this book fits perfectly with that season, so I might read it again when the leaves fall 🍂
#litsyreads #irismurdoch #aseveredhead

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oonaghmoon
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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July brings flowers, poetic summer gloom and long evenings with a pile of books. What are you reading this month?

#litsy #summerreads #irismurdoch #literaryfiction

Chrissyreadit I‘m reading quick and easy right now due to Summer classes but I hope to read Lonesome Dove this Summer. 6y
oonaghmoon @Chrissyreadit I have a lot of quick reads too! Good luck with your classes ☺ 6y
5 likes2 comments
review
tricours
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

What a farce! I‘m not sure what to think of It really. Who wants it next? @BarbaraBB @Sarah83 ? Thanks @Dulcinella for the awesome bookmarks! #1001books #stdb2018

Sarah83 You can send it to me. ☺️ 6y
tricours @Sarah83 will do! 6y
BarbaraBB Really?? Now you‘ve got me curious! @Dulcinella did your book arrive yet? 6y
34 likes3 comments
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tricours
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Brought this book with me on our trip to Tallinn, but I haven‘t gotten around to reading it much. And I‘m sooo tired! Vacation is exhausting. #stdb2018 #1001books @BarbaraBB @Dulcinella @Sarah83

Cathythoughts I agree ! They say you need a holliday after a holliday 👍🏻 6y
BarbaraBB Iris Murdoch didn‘t wake you up? It must be one of her less good books 6y
tricours @BarbaraBB I find the “understanding and considerate” behavior of the characters really infuriating, but I‘m curious about what will happen! 6y
35 likes3 comments
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tricours
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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@Dulcinella The book arrived today! I‘ve started it and already a couple of pages in I‘m hooked. Thanks for the pouch! (Will be featured in a later post) #stdb2018
@Sarah83 @BarbaraBB

BarbaraBB How nice! I am looking forward to this one too. I just started Sarah‘s 6y
HannaPolkadots Oooh, I look forward to hear your thoughts on it!🙂 I read A Severed Head last summer and didn't quite know what to make of it. 6y
Dulcinella Happy to hear it got there, but such a long time it took. 😟 6y
35 likes3 comments
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guinsgirlreads
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Opening day! #summerslasherbookswap .. how cool is this wrapping?!? 💯😃 @Elle_Skeldon @JoeStalksBeck

AmyG Very clever! 6y
ephemeralwaltz Love love love!!! 6y
55 likes2 comments
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Dulcinella
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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@Sarah83 @tricours @BarbaraBB how is everyone? Do we read our own book first? I‘m sorry, but not sure, do we have a list of mails and adresses. Seems I can‘t find it. My emailadress is jacquelinebrelle@hotmail.com

Sarah83 @tricours @BarbaraBB I wrote an email to all of you last week. Did you get it? 7y
Dulcinella Oh, I‘ll have to search again.. 7y
Dulcinella Turns out I‘m mixing up 2 groups, but part of mail was in spam of course:-( 7y
Dulcinella @RadicalReader not sure... 6y
64 likes4 comments
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JuliaTheBookNerd
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Every year I get a book recommendation list from my alma mater 👩‍🎓 WVU 💙💛 Even though I haven‘t even heard of half these books I thought I would share 📚💙💛 #WVU #BA #EnglishDepartment #BookNerd 📚💙

Lcsmcat There are some excellent books on this list! 7y
Tameeka Thank you! 7y
Karkar This is cool. I wish my college did this. 7y
Beachesnbooks That's so cool that they do this!! 7y
50 likes4 comments
review
SaraBeagle
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

Full of unlikeable characters and dysfunctional relationships- definitely not a book for everyone. But Murdoch‘s writing is perfect for this scenario. It was like an absurdist version of Revolutionary Road. The first of three by Dame Murdoch on my #192019challenge ✔️

30 likes2 stack adds
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Eyelit
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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I took a picture of this and forgot to post. I opened my box and found this loveliness inside!!! I almost don‘t want to open because the wrapping is just adorbs. 😄 still no idea who sent it - but I do vaguely recall seeing this wrapping a couple weeks ago on my feed. Excited to open this evening! (Bonus photobomb by Tilney 😺) #halloweengoespostal

cocomass It‘s me!🙋🏽I‘m not sure I put my handle anywhere. Maybe the card? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Hope you enjoy ☺️ 7y
Eyelit I haven‘t opened the card yet - but I bet it‘s there. The anticipation is sweet! Thanks in advance! You did a great job aesthetically and I‘m certain I‘ll love everything contained within 😃 @cocomass 7y
StephBengtson Amazing!!! 7y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen Beautiful🎃so much creativity today!!!! 7y
emilyhaldi Beautiful!! 🖤🎃🖤 7y
LeahBergen Stunning!! 7y
vicgreentoriafield That's adorable! 7y
135 likes7 comments
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RowReads1
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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#5fordinner Weeeee! This would be a stimulating time. I'd just sit there in awe. Anne Sexton, Colette, Angela Carter, Dorthy Parker & Iris Murdoch. Yes, yes all dead white women. Tomorrow's dinner would be different.

51 likes1 stack add
review
HannaPolkadots
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

Mwah. Easy to read, but I want to knock some sense into every last one of the characters.

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Skillingray
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

It became quite farcical with one relationship ending as quickly as another was struck up. I still enjoyed it, although less so than other Murdoch books I've read.

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LitProfNovara
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

Not my favorite, not my least. Made me think about the importance of secondary characters. The ever changing love triangles absurdly entwine into misery.

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LitProfNovara
A Severed Head | Iris Murdoch
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My new used finds from Dunaway Books in St Louis!!! Such a great place if you live near me or are visiting the area. First on my agenda: Iris Murdoch, who the owner said is sure to impress. Excited to start on this latest stack!