Poems from an Attic

'...Without surprise I see him now in evil company. A wicked face – but oh those eyes could charm – Heart, sudden heart, don’t beat me to my knees.' Long hidden in an attic, vivid and revelatory poems shine a new light on the life and loves of Iris Murdoch. *As seen in the Guardian* **With an introduction by Booker-shortlisted author Sarah Hall, and an essay from the editors.* In the dusty attic of Iris Murdoch’s Oxford home lay a battered, black chest. In 2016, when the chest was finally opened, Murdoch’s life in poems was revealed. Renowned for her fiercely intelligent novels and groundbreaking philosophy, Murdoch was one of the great writers of the twentieth century. Yet she is also known for her equally radical life – intense friendships, relationships with both men and women, and an open marriage – about which much has, often controversially, been written. Now, her tightly wrought and vivid poems reveal a new, deeply personal account in Murdoch’s own voice. They range over the