A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch

A novel about the frightfulness and ruthlessness of being in love Martin Lynch-Gibson believes he can possess both a beautiful wife and a delightful lover. But when his wife, Antonia, suddenly leaves him for her psychoanalyst, Martin is plunged into an intensive emotional reeducation. He attempts to behave beautifully and sensibly. Then he meets a woman whose demonic splendor at first repels him and later arouses a consuming and monstrous passion. As his Medusa informs him, “this is nothing to do with happiness.” A Severed Head was adapted for a successful stage production in 1963 and was later made into a film starring Claire Bloom, Lee Remick, Richard Attenborough, and Ian Holm.

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The 824th greatest fiction book of all time


This book is on the following lists:

  1. - How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List (Thomas C. Foster)
  2. - 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)

Buy This Book

Name Binding Sales Rank Lowest New Lowest Used Published
A Severed Head Paperback 9661555 $0.01
The Severed Head (Vintage Classics) Paperback 6791894 $7.45 $0.01
A severed head Paperback 7624580 $0.98
A Severed Head A Novel Mass Market Paperback 4440551 $4.94
The Severed Head Hardcover 5321766 $143.92 1978
A SEVERED HEAD Hardcover 5212162 $5.75 1961
The Severed Head Hardcover 4356323 $186.80 $4.89
A Severed Head Mass Market Paperback 5402127 $2.50
The Severed Head: Play (Acting Edition) Paperback 6604287 $465.89 $9.48
A Severed Head Paperback 756056 $7.11 $0.01 1976
A Severed Head Paperback 2762244 $3.87 1963
A Severed Head Hardcover 5517197 $9.98
A Severed Head Kindle Edition 503142 $7.99 1976
A Severed Head Hardcover 4269881 $50.00 $38.07 1961