Iris Murdoch, A Word Child: A Word Child is first and foremost a work of fiction, and a very finely crafted one at that. Its pace is lively, its characterization sharp, and its dense plot tightly controlled and deeply involving. Iris Murdoch repeatedly insisted that philosophy and literature are distinct and that her novels should not be read as philosophical treatises. All the same, this novel showcases some profound reflections on the power and the limitations of words. [recommended by Ray Monk, University of Southampton]