Memento Mori - Hardcover

Spark, Muriel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0745119255 ISBN 13: 9780745119250

Publisher: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C, 1993

Synopsis

In late 1950s London, a group of well-off elderly who have known each other for over 50 years begins to receive a series of eerie phone calls. An anonymous voice makes a simple request: "Remember you must die." The voice is different for each of them, and the police are incapable of localizing the calls and catching the prank callers. These calls provoke a different reaction in each of the elderly, who end up uncovering long-forgotten secrets, jealousies, infidelities, and scandals that begin to shatter the facade of respectability and decorum in their lives. "En Londres a finales de la decada de los 50, un grupo de ancianos de posicion acomodada y que se conocen desde hace mas de cincuenta anos, empiezan a recibir una serie de llamadas inquietantes. Una voz anonima al telefono les hace una sencilla peticion: "Recuerda que debes morir." Para cada uno de ellos la voz es diferente y la policia es incapaz de localizar las llamadas y detener al grupo de bromistas. Estas llamadas provocan una reaccion diferente en cada uno de los ancianos, que acaban destapando secretos, envidias, infidelidades, y escandalos largamente olvidados que empiezan a resquebrajar la apariencia de respetabilidad y decoro de sus vidas. "

About this title

Review:

There is a Waugh-like brilliance to this novel, in the easy economical narrative, the continuous invention producing a series of surprises, the well-cut dialogue, the controlled tone. This last is the most remarkable of Miss Spark's achievements. Nothing is forced, least of all the humour (V. S. Naipaul, NEW STATESMAN)

I am reading a trio of novels by Muriel Spark, a marvelously witty English writer, one of the few lady writers I like to read. Her best, I think, is Memento Mori, which is chillingly brilliant (Tennessee Williams)

This funny and macabre book has delighted me as much as any novel that I have read since the war (Graham Greene)

A brilliant and singularly gruesome achchievement (Evelyn Waugh)

Book Description:

A brilliant, daring and darkly funny novel by Muriel Spark, 'mistress of the highest high comedy' (The Times)

About this edition

• Publisher: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0745119255
• ISBN 13: 9780745119250
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 312