John Bayley takes us through over seventy years of extensive readings, judiciously selecting extracts from novels, poems, letters and diaries that have been his good companions, inspiring or amusing his spirits in times of adversity.
Unlike many standard anthologies, 'Good Companions' is highly personal and full of Bayley's wit and wisdom. From Lord Rochester's earthy, but touching 'A Song of a Young Lady to her Ancient Lover' to Raymond Chandler's classic 'The Big Sleep', and from Phillip Larkin's little-known 'Marriages' to gems such as Dorothy Fields's 'A Fine Romance' - which Bayley's wife, Iris Murdoch 'used to sing with great brio.'
Whether welcoming back long-forgotten favorite or being introduced to a new and unfamiliar face, 'Good Companions' always provides something to move and delight to.
