Few novels capture the mysteries of love, memory, obsession, and self-deception as brilliantly as Iris Murdoch's The Sea, the Sea, winner of the Booker Prize. 

In this engaging class, we'll dive into Murdoch's mesmerizing masterpiece first published in 1978. The story follows retired theater director Charles Arrowby as he withdraws to a lonely house by the sea, in search of peace—only to confront the illusions that have shaped his entire life. 

Along the way, we'll explore Murdoch's rich philosophical vision, unforgettable cast of characters, and masterful blend of psychological realism with the uncanny.

One focus of this book club will be the mysterious sea monster that appears a couple times in the novel. We'll examine how Murdoch draws on Titian's painting Perseus and Andromeda, because the sea monster in that painting that appears a couple times in the novel. Rather than serving merely as a symbolic reference, Murdoch transforms this creature into an active presence in Arrowby’s life—a haunting, elusive character whose appearances challenge both Charles's understanding of reality and our own.

Through close reading and lively discussion, we’ll discover how this enigmatic sea monster deepens the novel's exploration of desire, myth, and spiritual transformation. The Sea, the Sea remains one of the twentieth century's most rewarding and mysterious literary achievements.

Meets on Zoom 

All meetings are recorded — so if you miss any, you won't miss anything.

Here's the recommended edition

Click here to get the recommended edition if you want to have the same page numbers as everyone else. (If you buy it using that link, a portion of the proceeds go to FrizzLit.) If you have a different edition you'd like to read, or you want to get one from the library, that works too.

What to read before the first meeting

Nothing! You do not need to read anything before our first meeting. Come ready to learn about the author's life, and this novel's historical context. 

Meet the leader of this book club

Christopher Frizzelle is the founder of FrizzLit and the editor and publisher of FrizzLit Editions. He was the editor-in-chief of The Stranger from 2007 to 2016. On a shoestring budget, he led the scrappy newspaper to winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2012, and to being a finalist for Pulitzer Prize in 2014. Almost 20 years ago, he hosted the world's first Silent Reading Party, inspiring a global trend. His writing has appeared in Interview magazine and the Washington Post. He holds an MFA in creative writing from Bennington.

Art

Black-and-white Iris Murdoch portrait splendidly illustrated by Kathryn Rathke

To join in installments

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