Iris Murdoch — The Sacred and Profane

New York, The Viking Press, 1974. First edition. Cloth. The first U.S edition of this novel by Irish author, Iris Murdoch. 'The Sacred and the Profane Love Machine' is Murdoch's sixteenth novel and won the Whitbread Novel Award for 1974. First U.S edition, held in original unclipped dustwrapper. The plot follows a psychotherapist, Blaise Gavender. Gavender lives with his wife and sixteen year old son in London. Gavender has been having an affair for nine years and has a son, Luca, from this extra-marital affair. The novel deals with Blaise trying to hide this affair and its looming threat of being exposed. Both parties seekthe help of a neighbour and family friend, Montague. Thematically, this novel deals with 'Doubleness' and is one of four Murdoch novels that take male adultery as a major theme. Iris Murdoch was a British novelist and philosopher, born in Ireland. Primarily her novels focus on themes of morality, spirituality and sexuality. A prominent philosopher, she is now increasingly accredited for her work in the field of philosophy, most notably her work on the reinterpretation of Aristotle and Plato, as well as her discussions of moral philosophy. In her lifetime Murdoch wrote 26 novels, as well of a series of short stories and several philosophical papers. In the original quarter cloth binding with paper covered boards. Held in original unclipped dustwrapper. Externally, very smart with minor bumping to the head of spine. Occasional marks to the boards. Dustwrapper is smart with light sunning to the extremities and to the spine. Light rubbing to the extremities and to the head and tail of spine. Occasional marks to wraps. Creasing to the front flyleaf. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Near Fine . Ill.: None. Near Fine/Very Good Indeed.