鈥淪he was, if you believe what you read in the papers: a genius, a survivor, a bad mother, a fickle friend, a closeted lesbian, a tyrant, a loner, an eccentric, a recluse, a gossip, and an arch-manipulator. She would politely encourage you not to believe what you read in the papers.鈥濃�攆rom Like a Cat Loves a Bird
Muriel Spark (1918鈥�2006) was one of literature鈥檚 great shapeshifters. That mercurial quality is found in her strange, brilliant, cruel novels鈥攚ith their plots featuring a cast of elderly characters receiving telephone calls from Death, the devil going clubbing in Peckham, and a fascist schoolmistress leading her coterie of girls astray鈥攂ut it is also true of her as a person. As sly, nimble, and elegant as Spark鈥檚 own work, Like a Cat Loves a Bird offers a thrilling new perspective on a remarkable life and career that spanned much of the twentieth century.
From Spark鈥檚 childhood in Edinburgh to her final years in Tuscany鈥攙ia South Africa, London, New York, and Rome鈥擩ames Bailey traces a light-footed journey around the world and through the novelist鈥檚 strange and magnificent books. The result is an irresistible story of transformation, wit, and fierce determination鈥攁nd a passionate case for this vital modern artist.
Awards and Recognition
- A BBC Book to Read This Year
- A Scotsman Book to Look Out For This Year
James Bailey is a writer and researcher who holds a PhD in literature and is the author of Muriel Spark’s Early Fiction.
“Bailey’s slippery Spark is chaotic, complex, often hilarious, and constantly shapeshifting. His kaleidoscopic portrait illuminates Spark’s life and work from every angle, yet—crucially—allows her the freedom she craved to confound and elude those who would try to pin her down. This is a deeply stylish, astute, and illuminating biography of a fascinating writer.”—Francesca Wade, author of Square Haunting and Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife
“Utterly charming. A book as elegant, sharp-witted, and mischievous as its subject. If you love literary biography, you’ll feel like the cat that got the cream.”—Clare Pollard, author of Delphi: A Novel
“Beautifully written. . . . A readable and fascinating book about an under-appreciated literary giant.”—Lucinda Hawksley, author of The Mystery of Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Rebellious Daughter
“I cannot imagine a book I'd rather read, one that brings Spark’s fascinating life and works together in electrifying detail and dynamic structure. Bailey somehow evokes Spark’s enigmatic style when weaving together the many histories that compose her artistic biography. It’s as entertaining as a thriller and as enlightening as a whole course in Spark Studies, which should exist with James Bailey as the don.”—Holly Pester, author of The Lodgers
“Vital, fun, and immediate. Like a Cat Loves a Bird is lithe and compelling, and full of engaging and astute literary analysis of Spark’s work as well as scintillating, vivid biography. A must-read for devotees.”—Francesca Reece, author of Glass Houses
“Scholarly and enticing at the same time—an irresistible and compelling ‘behind the scenes’ window into the mind and times of Muriel Spark.”—Helen Lederer, writer, actor, and comedian
“In Like a Cat Loves a Bird, James Bailey has given his reader a sparkling and witty exploration of Spark’s life and work and a serious and complex study of the slippery, playful connections between art and artist. Spark remains as curious and elusive as ever, and Bailey treats the reader to tantalizing glimpses of one of our finest novelists without ever reducing her. I loved this book.”—Jenn Ashworth, author of The Parallel Path: Love, Grit, and Walking the North
“Like Spark herself, this book is razor-sharp yet full of mystery. James Bailey traces the flicker between love and art, devotion and destruction, with extraordinary sensitivity. His portrait of Muriel Spark reveals a woman both brilliant and brutal, propelled by wit, ambition, and moral daring. It’s a study of artistic power and emotional risk, of how genius can illuminate and consume. Like a Cat Loves a Bird is as luminous and unsettling as the woman who inspired it.”—Sophie Haydock, author of The Flames: A Novel
Accessibility Features
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Inaccessible, or known limited accessibility
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No known hazards or warnings
