About this title: Iris Murdoch's first novel is set in a part of London where struggling writers rub shoulders with successful bookies, and film starlets with frantic philosophers. Its hero, Jake Donaghue, is a drifting, clever, likeable young man, who makes a living out of translation work and sponging off his friends. A meeting with Anna, and old flame, leads him into a series of fantastic adventures. Jake is captivated by a majestic philosopher, Hugo Belfounder, whose profound and inconclusive reflections give the book its title - under the net of language. Robust, full of flavour and panache, here is a ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Date Published: 1977-10-27
ISBN-13:9780140014457ISBN:0140014454
Description: Fair. Pages are clean, though tanned; contain minor marking. Cover shows some wear and staining.; 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! Free Delivery Confirmation! Ships same or next business day! read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books
Date Published: 1977
ISBN-13:9780140014457ISBN:0140014454
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Clean unmarked pages. Light cover wear. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 256 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books, London
Date Published: 1982
ISBN-13:9780140014457ISBN:0140014454
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Good+ condition. Binding good, clean text, sturdy. Cover has minor generalized wear. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 256 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: PENGUIN
Date Published: 1954
Description: Good. Outside of book is very good+++, inside has tanning to pages, has library stamp inside but no other markings, no pocket or outside marks. read more
Edition: Reprint
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Penguin, London, UK
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780140014457ISBN:0140014454
Description: Near Fine in None As Issued jacket. Text/BRAND NEW & Bright. Illustrated soft cover/NF w/light edge & surface wear, and faint creasing to lower front corner. 1954 debut novel from Dame Iris Murdoch (1919-1999), happily for us, 25 more novels follow. An entangled web of circumstance in which the now penniless hack writer and sponger Jake Donaghue seeks out an old girlfriend, Anna Quentin, and her glamorous actress sister Sadie. And, Jake still loves Anna, who loves Hugo, who loves Sadie, who ... read more
Edition: later printing
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books
Date Published: 1977
ISBN-13:9780140014457ISBN:0140014454
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. one light thump crease back cover. very light crease in spine. very light corner crease back cover. Fine + Soft Cover. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780099458449ISBN:0099458446
Description: Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage Classics
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9780099429074ISBN:0099429071
Description: Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! read more
"A strange book. Murdoch is one of those writers I've been hearing about since grad school days, & a jacket blurb compared her to Graham Greene, but she certainly didn't have the same impact on me--at least with this book."
"This is Iris Murdoch's first novel and I still think one of her best, and I've read them all.
It's been a long time, but what I still remember most clearly is how funny it is. Murdoch almost always manages to insert a few scenes of high or should I say low comedy or often downright farce in when you least expect them. As I say, it's been a long time, but the scenes of unpleasant encounters with the Thames and the one with the dog and the pork chop still have me giggling. It may be time for read # 3."
"I expected this to drag and it didn't. Maybe it was the weather or the old cloth binding of the book, but it made me nostalgic for summer days as a little girl reading with my grandma.
It is good lit. It has enough twists and turns to keep my interest without boring me or making me wish to be done. In fact I'm kinda sad that I already offered this to someone because I'd like to read it again.
There's quite a bit about love and loss and living your own life; a fair amount of philosophy and a few juicy bits of action in between Jake's bouts of drinking and doing stupid "guy stuff.""
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