The Ballad of Peckham Rye (New Directions Classic) - Softcover

Spark, Muriel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0811214087 ISBN 13: 9780811214087

Publisher: New Directions, 1999

Synopsis

The Ballad of Peckham Rye is the wickedly farcical fable of a blue-collar town turned upside down. When the firm of Meadows, Meade & Grindley hires Dougal Douglas to do "human research" into the private lives of its workforce, they are in no way prepared for the mayhem, mutiny, and murder he will stir up. "Not only funny but startlingly original," declared The Washington Post, "the legendary character of Dougal Douglas . . . may not have been boasting when he referred so blithely to his association with the devil."

About this title

About the Author:

Muriel Spark (1918–2006) was the author of dozens of novels, including The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Memento Mori, A Far Cry from Kensington, The Girls of Slender Means, The Ballad of Peckham Rye, The Driver’s Seat, and many more. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993.

From AudioFile:

Spark's 1960 satirical novel is given a fresh reading by Nick Rawlinson. This is a curious novel, and Rawlinson's reading walks carefully between performance and narration. Most surprising is Rawlinson's protean ability to flip between Irish and Scottish accents. This is a challenging novel, as Spark allows the audience plenty of latitude in deciding on the true character of Dougal Douglas. Rawlinson's rapid delivery moves the story along quickly, sometimes too quickly for Spark's dry British wit to fully bloom. This recording is a fine introduction to the canon of Muriel Spark and stands on its own as an unusual but engaging piece of modern fiction. R.F. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: New Directions
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0811214087
• ISBN 13: 9780811214087
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 142