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Sea, the Sea
Sea, the Sea | Iris Murdoch
Charles Arrowby, leading light of England's theatrical set, retires from glittering London to an isolated home by the sea. He plans to write a memoir about his great love affair with Clement Makin, his mentor, both professionally and personally, and amuse himself with Lizzie, an actress he has strung along for many years. None of his plans work out, and his memoir evolves into a riveting chronicle of the strange events and unexpected visitors-some real, some spectral-that disrupt his world and shake his oversized ego to its very core. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Aimeesue
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#WondrousWednesday
@Eggs

1. The sea, the sea. The smell of salty brine and windswept sand. Blame my childhood visits to the Cape.
2. Campfire. My aunt & uncle built a log cabin in the woods when I was a kid, & we spent weekends helping No electricity, no bathrooms (outhouse!) but we had a fire every night! 🔥
3. Maple leaves in the fall. They smell syrupy, but crunchy. I‘m a New England girl 🍁

Thanks for the tag @

dabbe I was lucky enough to spend my entire summer after graduation from college at E. Brewster, Cape Cod. My best friend's (who is now a nun!) family have a house there. Absolutely magical. I'd love to live in New England. 💚💙💚 1mo
Aimeesue @dabbe I have friends with homes there as well, such a fabulous place! My husband is a Southerner, though, and refuses to deal with/ NE snow, so I only go back to visit family. And the fall foliage. 😉 1mo
dabbe @Aimeesue What's your favorite place? 🤩 1mo
See All 8 Comments
Aimeesue @dabbe At the Cape? I‘ve probably spent the most time in Falmouth and Hyannis, but anywhere on the Cape is fine with me! (edited) 1mo
dabbe @Aimeesue Amen to that! How about in the entire area of New England? 1mo
Aimeesue @dabbe I grew up in the Berkshires, so that will always be the place I want to return to. Plus, Melville, Hawthorne, and Edith Wharton all had homes there, so I come by my little love honestly 😊 1mo
Eggs Enticing descriptions 🙏🏻 Thanks for playing 🥳 1mo
dabbe @Aimeesue Thanks for sharing. I've never been there but now am intrigued! 🤩💚🤩 1mo
22 likes8 comments
review
Maeve1
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

My book of the year so far 🦭3rd Sept 2023

batsy Lovely edition! 7mo
BarbaraBB I loved this one so much too! If you‘re looking for another Murdoch try 7mo
3 likes2 comments
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batsy
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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I've fallen super behind on my reading (and buddy reads!) as my sister and niece are visiting from abroad and it's been really a lovely and busy time so far. Plus we made a little trip to Penang and I haven't been near the sea in so long—it was definitely what I needed! Something about the water ... restorative 💗

TrishB Beautiful ❤️ 8mo
Cathythoughts The sea ❤️❤️❤️ 8mo
Ruthiella Lovely! Enjoy your time with family. The books will keep. 😃 8mo
See All 30 Comments
Cuilin Enjoy, nothing like a good dose of vitamin sea 🌊 8mo
batsy @Ruthiella @Cuilin Thank you! 😁 8mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 8mo
Leftcoastzen Beautiful! Even better with family. 8mo
squirrelbrain How lovely to spend family time in such a beautiful place! ❤️ 8mo
pr.alm That‘s gorgeous! Enjoy! 🤘🏼 8mo
Tamra How awesome! 😍 8mo
LeahBergen Lucky you! I hope you‘ve been having a well-deserved lovely time. ❤️ 8mo
jlhammar Gorgeous! 8mo
Liz_M Gorgeous picture (and you tagged a wonderful book 😆) 8mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 🌊 8mo
batsy @dabbe 😁 8mo
batsy @pr.alm @LeahBergen Thank you! It was wonderful ❤️ 8mo
batsy @Liz_M Thanks! And I'm so glad to hear that about the book. Been meaning to read Murdoch and I have this waiting on my shelves 🙂 8mo
Liz_M @batsy it was my first by her, and my favorite. A jerk of a main character but not every goes as he planned and then there is a little bit of unexplained weird thrown in, apparently just because. 8mo
batsy @Liz_M OK, I'm totally sold! Lol. Sign me up for unexplained weird and main characters that are jerks 🤩 8mo
Suet624 The ocean always changes things in my life. I‘m so happy for you. 8mo
batsy @Suet624 Thank you, Sue! I know exactly what you mean 💗 8mo
erzascarletbookgasm How wonderful! Hope you all are having a fabulous time, catching up news and holidaying 🥰. I need to get to the beach too! 8mo
batsy @erzascarletbookgasm Thanks, Jessie! It has been lovely ❤️ 8mo
Centique How beautiful! The sea is so important to me too. During lockdowns being able to go watch the tide coming in and out was incredibly healing 💕 8mo
kspenmoll I am so happy for you! The sea is in my blood… restorative too. Enjoy your visit! 8mo
batsy @Centique @kspenmoll Thank you! Yes, something about the sea just fixes everything. I'm already thinking of ways to go back soon ❤️ 8mo
Rissreads I am always soothed by hearing the ocean and the waves. I‘m happy you had gorgeous family time. 8mo
batsy @Rissreads Thank you! It's the best 💙 8mo
102 likes30 comments
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Ruthiella
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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I think there were books I read in February 2022 that I enjoyed more, but this is the one that will probably stick with me the longest. Weird, provocative, and strangely compelling. A book about an awful person who does awful things, but I wanted to know more, nonetheless.

#12Booksof2022

Vansa I remember doing this last year! I must do it again 😀 1y
Ruthiella You should do it! 👍 1y
BarbaraBB This is such a memorable read! I loved it. 1y
See All 17 Comments
CarolynM Most of the Iris Murdoch novels I‘ve read are like that😆 I must get around to this one sometime… 1y
WJCintron Merry Christmas 🎁🎄😃❤️🙏✨ 1y
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Yes, it really sticks with you, doesn‘t it? 1y
Ruthiella @CarolynM I agree. This was my third and they all do have a certain staying power! 1y
Ruthiella @WJCintron Thank you. Merry Christmas to you too! 1y
BarbaraBB I still recall that house where he lives. I probably asked already but have you read 1y
TrishB Have on my tbr! Must get too. 1y
batsy It feels wrong to have gone this long without reading her fiction! (I've read one of her philosophy books and loved it. Even if I didn't strictly understand everything 😂) 1y
Andrew65 A highly thought about book. 1y
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB You have asked before and no, I‘ve not read it yet! 😂 1y
Ruthiella @TrishB I‘ve got a lot of these backlist titles on my TBR. If only I could stay away from new publications! 😆 1y
Ruthiella @batsy I‘ve never fully understood any philosophy…😆 My brain doesn‘t comprehend.? 1y
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Indeed! Murdoch is one of those authors who gets referenced more than read, it seems. 1y
BarbaraBB I thought so 🤣 I always do 🤣 1y
63 likes17 comments
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BarbaraBB
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#AlphabetGame Letter S

Iris Murdoch is one of the authors I discovered by reading the #1001books list. And I‘m glad for that. She‘s become a favorite and this book is one of her best.

Sapphire This is on my TBR 2y
Liz_M Love this book with its hint of weird! 2y
AvidReader25 She‘s been on my TBR for years. Would you recommend starting with this one? 2y
BarbaraBB @AvidReader25 Yes, although it is a chunkster. Another very good one is 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing 📚 2y
63 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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AllDebooks
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#awesomeaugust
@Andrew65

Days 3 & 4

Over 4 hours of reading ✔️
Finished Phosphorescence, Sudden Traveller and The Book of Hope ✔️
Starting tagged but finding it hard going. I love Murdoch's writing, her nature descriptions are poetic and spot on. However, Charles Arrowby has to be the most self-aggrandising, egotistical bore of a man I have ever come across. Here's hoping for more characters to dilute him

Andrew65 Doing great! 👏👏👏 2y
19 likes1 comment
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IuliaC
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

A majestic piece of writing! A splendid blend of romance, philosophy and suspense which kept me glued to the pages and made me feel the sea itself was one of the lead characters.
A famous theater director retires in a small village by the sea hoping to spend time in solitude and write his autobiography. Instead, he finds his first love he lost 40 years ago and all his plans for serenity are stormed off.

erzascarletbookgasm Your review makes me put this further up my tbr. 👏 2y
IuliaC @erzascarletbookgasm thank you 😊 2y
Liz_M I loved this one for the writing and the bit of weird that shows up. 2y
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IuliaC @Liz_M exactly, a bit of weird and unexpected 👍 2y
Graywacke Great post! Another book I need to read… 2y
Graywacke @IuliaC that sounds familiar. As long as I enjoy it, I‘m doing the same. Slowly… 2y
IuliaC @Graywacke exactly, slowly but steadily 2y
54 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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IuliaC
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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"Trembling with emotion I tore my clothes off and walked into the sea. The cold shock, then the warmth, then the strong gentle lifting motion of the quiet waves reminded me terribly of happiness."

"It is evening. The sea is golden, speckled with white points of light, lapping with a sort of mechanical self-satisfaction under a pale green sky. How huge it is, how empty, this great space for which I have been longing all my life."

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IuliaC
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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"The theatre is an attack on mankind carried on by magic: to victimize an audience every night, to make them laugh and cry and suffer and miss their trains. Of course actors regard audiences as enemies, to be deceived, drugged, incarcerated, stupefied. This is partly because the audience is also a court against which there is no appeal."

Gissy Beautiful photo 😍 2y
IuliaC @Gissy thank you! 😊 2y
Graywacke Whoa (also, yeah, beautiful photo) 2y
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IuliaC @Graywacke thank you! 😊 all three photos are taken on the Black Sea coast; it's a rough sea with dangerous currents and made me think of the sea descriptions in the novel 2y
Graywacke @IuliaC ok, that‘s really cool - seeing the Black Sea (while thinking about the UK coast) 2y
IuliaC @Graywacke it's all I had available while reading this one 😁 the UK coast hopefully in the future while reading another novel 😊 2y
49 likes6 comments
review
Ruthiella
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

Murdoch will never become a favorite with me, but I think I now better appreciate her farcical plots and awful yet compelling characters. The book is narrated by Charles Arrowby, a retired theatre director and general self-absorbed asshat. He may no longer be on the stage, but won‘t stop trying to manipulate everyone around him. When he runs into his first love in a remote seaside town, he loses his grip on reality...

#Booked2022 Title Repeats

BarbaraBB I loved this book! 2y
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Excellent! Have you read any other books from Iris Murdoch? 2y
Cinfhen Great pick 😍I haven‘t read this book, but it‘s one I‘ve heard about for years. 2y
See All 15 Comments
Cathythoughts This is a great review 👍❤️ 2y
Cathythoughts I‘ve never heard the expression ‘asshat‘ 😄very good 👍 2y
LindaLappin will read thanks to your synopsis 2y
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella Yes. I didn‘t like all of them but I loved 2y
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Yes, it pops up on “must read” lists all the time, doesn‘t it? 🤔 (edited) 2y
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts It‘s a very apt description of the narrator! 😆 2y
Ruthiella @LindaLappin Thanks! I hope you enjoy it. 😃 2y
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Thanks! I will definitely give The Black Prince a go in future ! 👍 2y
BarbaraBB I hope you will, it‘s very engaging! 2y
CarolynM I've read a few Murdoch's but not this one. One day...🙂 The Black Prince is my favourite too @BarbaraBB 2y
Ruthiella @CarolynM Good to have another recommendation for 2y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM I didn‘t know, I know hardly anybody who read it, so I‘m glad it‘s your favorite too! 2y
53 likes2 stack adds15 comments
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rmaclean4
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

I had a great reading experience with this novel. I read it slowly over a month and was always happy to return to this world. I laughed out load several times and was often suprised by turn of events in this novel. A delight. 3 🌟 Read this as part of the Big Book Challenge.

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TheKidUpstairs
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#OnThisDay in 1999, Irish-British novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch passed away. Among the many awards and honorifics she received in her life were numerous honorary degrees, a Booker Prize for The Sea The Sea, and she was named a Dame in 1987 for services to literature. "There is no beyond, there is only here, the infinitely small, infinitely great and utterly demanding present." #HistoryGetsLIT

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monalyisha
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Drove 2 hours to spend my birthday by the sea — even though I live in The Ocean State & could have driven 10 minutes. 😅 Sometimes, you just need a change to feel like you‘re living.

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone! 🎉🥰

quietjenn That sounds lovely! Happy birthday! 3y
PurpleyPumpkin What a lovely way to spend your special day. Happy birthday!🎉 3y
vivastory Happy Belated Birthday 🎉🎊🎂 3y
See All 25 Comments
Palimpsest Happy birthday! 3y
mcipher Happy birthday!!! 3y
TheBookHippie 💙💙💙 3y
BookishMarginalia 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 3y
Librariana ¡Muy Feliz Cumpleaños! A very happy, happy celebration of the day of your birth, my dear 😊 Hope it was über adorbz! 🎉⭐💜🥳🎂🎁 3y
AmyG 💕Happy Birthday 🎂 3y
Jas16 Happy Birthday 🎉🎂🎈🎁🥳 3y
JenReadsAlot Happy birthday!! 🎉🎂🎁 3y
JessClark78 Happy Birthday! 🎊🎂🎉✨ 3y
Laughterhp Happy birthday 🥳🥳 3y
Ruthiella Happy Birthday! 🥳🥳🥳 3y
Reviewsbylola Happy birthday!! 🎂🎉🎈 3y
Megabooks Happy birthday!!! 🎉🎉 3y
EdnaC Happy birthday!! What a gorgeous view! 3y
Kalalalatja Happy birthday! 🎉🎉🎉 3y
BarbaraBB Happy birthday 🎈. Great scenery ❤️ 3y
Simona Happy birthday 🥂🍾 3y
Birdsong28 Happy birthday. Hope you had a good day 📚 📖 3y
Clare-Dragonfly Happy birthday! 🥰🌊 3y
MeganAnn Happy Birthday 🎉 ❤️ 3y
rachelsbrittain Happy belated birthday!! This looks so lovely! 3y
Redwritinghood Happy belated birthday! 3y
114 likes25 comments
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KarenUK
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Book haul post 3 of 4....
I completely fell in love with this Vintage Iris Murdoch edition (yet to read, and now I have seen it in person, I have both #coverlove and #pagecountphobia !!😍😱)

BarbaraBB And it is so good!!! 3y
batsy These editions are so lovely 😍 3y
Gogobooks A classic! 3y
KarenUK @BarbaraBB I‘ve never read her, but now I‘m excited! 👯‍♀️(whilst also being scared of how thick it is! 😂) 3y
53 likes1 stack add4 comments
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BookwormM
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
Pickpick

#Reading1001

Beautiful writing, boring story. That was my thoughts on this anyway. The imagery and descriptions of the landscape are amazing the characters are stereotypical and unlikeable.

Simona This one is still in my TBR pile🤷‍♀️ 3y
BookwormM @Simona hope I haven‘t put you off 🤣🤣 3y
Simona You did ... a little bit, but I see the ray of hope in ‘unlikeable‘ characters. 😘 3y
37 likes1 stack add3 comments
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TrishB
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Having a look at the tagged book this morning - that audio cassette is certainly a collectors item 😁

Enchanted_Bibliophile 🤔 Must come in a cold plated casing or something 🤣 3y
Enchanted_Bibliophile 😅 I meant gold not cold 🤦‍♀️ 3y
Texreader 🤣🤣🤣 3y
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Tanisha_A Hahahaha. Ludicrous 3y
Deifio Question is, do you even still have a cassette player? 😉 3y
DrexEdit 🤣🤣🤣 3y
Soubhiville 😱 3y
hilded 😂 3y
TrishB @Deifio hubby is a musician and DJ, we still have one and cassettes 😁 3y
MaureenMc 😄 My husband and I were trying to explain cassette tapes to our 8 yo the other day. I‘m not sure she got it. 😆 3y
TrishB @MaureenMc my daughter says they are becoming fashionable again, Halsey just had one for her new single 🤷‍♀️ everything comes back round! 3y
alisiakae 🤣🤣 3y
Centique Whoa! 😂😂 3y
Caroline2 What the.... 😆 3y
87 likes15 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
This is day 13
#BooksToRead #TBRPile

BarbaraBB I‘d get this one as soon as possible off my tbr. It‘s awesome! (edited) 3y
TrishB Sounds interesting 👍🏻 stacked @BarbaraBB 3y
TheEllieMo @BarbaraBB that‘s encouraging! Will move it higher up the pile! 3y
BarbaraBB @TrishB One of my favorite books ever! Hope you‘ll like it @TheEllieMo 3y
Josee.lit.a.lu.et.lira Beautiful art cover 🥰 3y
38 likes1 stack add5 comments
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jenniferw88
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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No #cozyreadingnook from me as I've spent the morning at my heart hospital for my annual mot - everything is fine.

On the plus side I managed to pick up this book from the book stall that gets rid of ex-library books!

#festivephotochallenge #readnosedreindeer #wintergames @Clwojick @StayCurious

Moray_Reads Two good things, a clean bill of health and a modern classic. Congrats! 4y
BookNAround So glad everything is fine. 4y
Sleepswithbooks Yay - healthy heart ♥️ 4y
TrishB Good day 👍🏻 4y
StayCurious Happy Healthy Heart! +2 (edited) 4y
71 likes5 comments
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veritysalter
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#GratefulReads - Day Two - #PreferredGenre ~ #VintageClassic #PenguinRandomHouse ~ The styles of these books are all different, but each book captures the era of writing perfectly ~ tiny time capsules that absorb you.

OriginalCyn620 🙌🏼📚❤️ 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful ❤️❤️❤️ 4y
Linsy I like that. Your favorites are time capsules ✨ 4y
37 likes3 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Cinfhen Cool cover 5y
CarolynM Bother! That's the one I was going to post.😬 (edited) 5y
32 likes2 comments
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Mitch
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Iris Murdoch was born 100 years today..... Penguin have republished some of her books with some gorgeous covers....

https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2019/jul/where-to-start-reading-iris-murdoch-...

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GatheringBooks
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#QuotsyJune19 Day 27: eyes #determined to leave. This sounds like a heartbreaking novel.

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Emilymdxn
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Mehso-so

The difficult thing about very well written books about terrible people is that often I just can‘t enjoy them even when I think they‘re really well done. I loved Iris Murdoch‘s writing style and would absolutely read more by her, and the main character was amazingly created on the page, I just can‘t truthfully say I *enjoyed* it that much.

kgriffith Hear, hear. I‘m still angry about the time I spent reading 5y
Chrissyreadit I just experienced a well written book that was so sad I hated it. Completely understand. 5y
Tamra It happens. 😑 5y
Liz_M I'm sorry you didn't love this. I enjoyed the weird happenings and that some were explained and some were not. 5y
77 likes4 comments
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Emilymdxn
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Lunch date with Iris Murdoch and veggie sausage pasta 🥰

Trashcanman Have a great day, you kind soul. 🤗😊 5y
60 likes1 comment
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Emilymdxn
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Cloudy but warmer then it looks on the south bank today for lunch. I read Iris Murdoch on the lawn in front of the Tate modern with some gentle music from a really good busker next to a homeless charity fundraiser, which was a lovely atmosphere. I‘m enjoying this book a lot but only have 4 days before it‘s back to the library so the rush ruins the mood a little bit

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Billypar
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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#HowFarIllGo #MayMovieMadness
When the weekend ends, sometimes I have the odd fantasy of wanting to escape to some vague, lonely city by the sea, and just read for several days without interruption. I might be able to make some progress on my TBR then 🤔
Just placed a hold on the Olivia Laing, which sounds like an interesting reflection on her move to NYC and the loneliness she experienced there, along with an analysis of the same feelings in art.

readordierachel That sounds pretty perfect actually. Curious about the book! I'm reading Crudo right now and really enjoying it. 5y
RohitSawant Ha, sign me up for reading by vague, lonely city! 5y
Billypar @readordierachel Good to know about Crudo- Laing wasn't on my radar before, but I'm always happy to discover new authors. 5y
36 likes3 comments
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EadieB
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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review
ladyonequestion
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

Love this cover image and I loved the book too. The narrator is frankly detestable and the reader has to wonder why he has so many women pursuing him, especially after his plot to get an old childhood sweetheart to fall in love with him by imprisoning her in his house, but the characters are so wonderfully drawn and there is a subtle sense of mystery about cousin James and his capabilities.

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ladyonequestion
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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On an Iris Murdoch binge, thanks to her I am actually getting back into reading 'serious' books 😁

MommyWantsToReadHerBook Which ones have you read recently? ♥️ Iris. What do you think of 6y
ladyonequestion @MommyWantsToReadHerBook I just finished An Accidental Man, love The Sea, The Sea so far, the narrator is great, very clever of her to be able to create him and sustain his voice, funny and beautifully lyrical even thoughhe 6y
ladyonequestion He is such a pompous, egotistical character. Sorry, litsy decided to publish that beforeI was ready! 6y
MommyWantsToReadHerBook @ladyonequestion I loved An Accidental Man! The Sea, the Sea was not my favourite of hers but definitely well done. I want to reread her books but they require so much time and concentration 6y
25 likes4 comments
review
KateFulfordAuthor
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Panpan

#inlaws #reviews #others

The point, the point? A self-absorbed, unlikeable narrator tells us about his brilliantly successful career in the theatre, how he was (unaccountably) catnip to almost every woman who crossed his path, and what he had for his dinner. Oh, and he goes swimming and has some tedious friends to stay. Couldn‘t finish it, didn‘t want to, don‘t care.

TiffanyMichele Lol 😂 6y
CarolynM Iris Murdoch seems to specialise in unlikable narrators, but they're usually interesting. I haven't read this one. Have you read any of her others? 6y
LRSmith LOL. I‘ve only read one Murdoch and I have to say that was my reaction. 6y
See All 8 Comments
jouleian I don't think I've ever laughted that hard at a snapshot review before 😂😂😂. That was amazing and the last two lines just slay me 😂😂😂. 6y
Herschelian Best review I‘ve read in ages!! 6y
KateFulfordAuthor @CarolynM No and I‘d need a really compelling reason to do so. 6y
KateFulfordAuthor @jouleian Glad I made your “hit parade” 6y
KateFulfordAuthor @Herschelian - thank you! @TiffanyMichele - pleased I could help ;-) @LRSmith - we are fellow travelers! (edited) 6y
79 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Samplergal
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Actually the Gulf of Mexico but..hey. Glorious day for reading. And swimming.

KatieCarpenter So pretty 6y
HOTPock3tt Love it!! ❤️🎉What kind of e-reader is that? I‘m curious to maybe by one for myself 🤔 6y
Samplergal @HOTPock3tt It a paperwhite about two yrs old. It was my retirement gift to myself. I love it. Make sure you get the backlight on yours. I almost didn‘t but worth every penny extra. I also have an iPad but can‘t use it outside to read. 6y
See All 6 Comments
Eggs Looks like Galveston 6y
Samplergal @Eggs I‘ve never been. This is Panama City. 6y
kspenmoll Beautiful! 6y
105 likes6 comments
review
cvwillc
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
Mehso-so

Read the summer of 2003. I liked her description of the lunches. Later. found out her husband supplied the information. LOL

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shawnmooney
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Bailedbailed

Congratulations, Ms. Murdoch: you‘re not only a brilliant novelist but you‘ve matched—no, surpassed—your male peers in creating relationships so claustrophobically bilious between characters so utterly hateful that I almost puked all over page 203 just now. Instead, I bailed. Well done! Bravo!

DeborahSmall 😂😂 6y
Anna40 😂 6y
rachaich I've never managed to read this either! 6y
LeahBergen Oh my God. 😂😂 My day totally needed one of your spew-iforous reviews. 😂😂 6y
shawnmooney @LeahBergen Spewiforous! 😂😂 6y
48 likes5 comments
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shawnmooney
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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shawnmooney
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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SharonGoforth
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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BarbaraBB So good 😍 6y
SharonGoforth @BarbaraBB Good to know! 6y
shawnmooney Me too! And I will be vlogging it on my BookTube channel – part one should be up sometime next week! 6y
SharonGoforth @shawnmooney Awesome! Look forward to your vlog-I really enjoy your channel! 6y
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shawnmooney
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Dolly 😂😂 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Love it. 🤣 6y
59 likes3 comments
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Liz_M
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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1. Shakespeare and maybe Iris Murdoch
2. Usually night in with the books, unless there's really good food involved. 😁
3. I don't think I have a favorite era.
4. @BarbaraBB, @RidgewayGirl

@GarthRanzz

Thanks for the tag @Billypar

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Samplergal
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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SealedWithInk
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Pickpick

Charles Arrowby, a famous, now retired theatre director, moves to a small village by the sea to enjoy a peaceful life. However, old friends and memories find him out, including an old love that broke his heart.

JennAndrew Love this book- it‘s one of absolute favourites. It was my first Iris & I‘ve had to read a lot more of hers since. I haven‘t read them all yet, but have made a good dent! 6y
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SealedWithInk
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Death as a journey. I just thought it was a beautiful piece of writing.

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SealedWithInk
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Well that's just sad 😞

LauraBeth 😢 6y
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SealedWithInk
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Perfect weather for staying indoors and finishing my book 😀

review
Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
Pickpick

This book starts out slow, but halfway through it gets really intense. The plot is outwardly thin all the way through, but there are so many strands, such obsession, insanity, growth, relapse. What do we really know? What can we rely on? Not memory, not our biased perceptions of others. A crazy bunch of characters that, while unlikable, fascinate. And such amazing prose! My first Murdoch, but not my last.

merelybookish 👍👍 great review! 6y
BarbaraBB Yay 🙌! 6y
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Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch

"Anything can be tarnished by association, and if you have enough associations you can blacken the world."

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Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch

"How different each death is, and yet it leads us into the self-same country, that country which we inhabit so rarely, where we see the worthlessness of what we have long pursued and will so soon return to pursuing."

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Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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"Thus people can be light sources, without ever knowing, for years in the life of others, while their own lives take different and hidden courses. Equally one can be (...) a monster, a cancer, in the mind of someone whom one has half forgotten or even never met."

LibrarianRyan Hey, nothing to do with this post, but you should get a book depository delivery from me. No matter what I tried I could not get shipping below $56 because of the odd dimensions of the book. I tried to smile the thing at least 4 times but shipping to the UK is sooooooo expensive. I could have sent it to Germany for $15. It's ridiculous. Anyway, a book and an extra that looks fun should be delivered this week. 6y
Leniverse @LibrarianRyan Oh no, that's crazy! $56 just to send a book!? 😳I know we're on an island here, but such a price difference is just senseless. I mean, it has to cross the Atlantic whether it goes to the UK or to mainland Europe. ☹️ But you're a lovely book fairy and your shipments are creating little lights of happiness all over the world, so I think it's definitely related to this post anyway! 😘 6y
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Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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"I was sane enough to know that I was in a state of total obsession and that I could only think, over and over again, certain agonizing thoughts, could only run continually along the same rat-paths of fantasy and intent. But I was not sane enough to interrupt this mechanical movement or even to desire to do so."

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Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch

"Singing is of course a form of aggression. The wet open mouths and glistening teeth of the singers are ardent to devour the victim-hearer. Singers crave hearers as animals crave their prey."

Cathythoughts ✨✨✨❤️ 6y
Leniverse I think I need @Lynnsoprano to weigh in on this quote. 😂 6y
Lynnsoprano Oh, I love it 😍 I never thought of listeners as prey when I‘m singing, but when I think about how I try to connect with them while I sing, it‘s probably true 😂 6y
Leniverse @Lynnsoprano 😄👍 🎶 6y
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Leniverse
The Sea, The Sea | Iris Murdoch
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Oh no no no, woman! You don't marry a man who gets like that. Danger! Danger! Danger! 😟

TheBookAddict 😳What‘s more disturbing is that this actually happens to people. 6y
MiyakoBunny 😳🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️ 6y
Cathythoughts Very sad situation with jealousy. A tiny bit is only natural. But this sounds psychotic. I remember when they were in their late 80‘s my mother met an ex of my fathers in the town. My mother commented ( quite cattily) that his ex got quite old looking ( the ex was in her 80‘s too ) it never ends. 😉🙄 (edited) 6y
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Leniverse @Cathythoughts She says he reads all her letters to make sure she's not getting secret love letters from men. 😳 But she also goes into strange hysterical fits and other odd behaviour to manipulate him. The son says they love hating and tormenting each other. Very strange and unhealthy dynamics and it's hard to tell what is really going on. 6y
Cathythoughts I think I have to read this 6y
Leniverse @Cathythoughts It's a strange book. Slow paced. All narrated through the diary/memoirs of the woman's childhood sweetheart who is both completely narcissistic and completely obsessed with her. There are so many clues that he's an unreliable narrator, but he also records conversations with friends who give a different perspective. I'm really wondering how it's all going to end. 6y
42 likes6 comments