The Sea, The Sea

Daisy Johnson, Iris Murdoch, John Burnside

From Shelf: Notable books from former authors who received a Knighthood or Damehood from the Queen

When Charles Arrowby retires from his glittering career in the London theatre, he buys a remote house on the rocks by the sea. He hopes to escape from his tumultuous love affairs but unexpectedly bumps into his childhood sweetheart and sets his heart on destroying her marriage.

Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation.He buys a mysteriously damp house on the coast, far from the heady world of the theatre where he made his name, and there he swims in the sea, eats revolting meals and writes his memoirs. But then he meets his childhood sweetheart Hartley, and memories of her lovely, younger self crowd in - along with more recent lovers and friends - to disrupt his self-imposed exile. So instead of 'learning to be good', Charles proceeds to demonstrate how very bad he can be.'It isn't all brainy fantasising in Murdochland; there's wild swimming, appalling sandwiches, death, madness and sex' Guardian'Dazzlingly entertaining and inventive' The TimesWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY DAISY JOHNSON**WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE**