This is an exasperating and troubling biography, though my opinion could be clouded by pre-publication rumor. As Stannard notes in his preface, he was handpicked by Spark to write her biography. This was enough to get the rumor mill going early. A biography of Spark at the request of Spark?! Spark had always been known to be fabulously private, even going so far to write her autobiography, Curriculum Vitae, a monument to pure evasion that touched upon nothing that most readers were probably reading the book for in the first place. Why would *she* invite a biographer into her life? *cue some major control issues*

Stannard also notes that while not holding veto power over him, Spark did hold the power to confirm the title of "Authorized Biography" over the book depending upon how he treated his subject. Here's where the rumor comes in: Spark apparently did withhold the coveted designation of "authorized biography," and then she died. Her literary executrix then took over, also withholding the official imprimatur until she had scrupulously gone over every line of the book in order to "correct" the picture painted of her friend.

If any or all of these rumors are true, it shows in this biography. The text is mushy and imprecise, with many sentences directly contradicting the preceding one. It does indeed read like an account of a woman in which every word has been tinkered with in order to manipulate the subject just so. Parts of Spark's life (presumably the less flattering parts, of which I gather there are many) are scandalously glossed over while Stannard balances this out by spending too much time with dull literary interpretations of the writers peripheral to Spark's career. I don't normally blame the biographer for disliking the subject of his biography, but in this case there is a bit of blame to be meted out to Stannard. Who would write a biography under these circumstances, knowing that the result would be so intellectually dishonest?

Spark's curious readers will continue to wait for the definitive account of her life; this just isn't it. ( )

This book was serialised and broadcast by the BBC. It was in 1992 that Muriel Spark gave access to all her papers, letters and diaries to enable Martin Stannard to write this excellent and eminently interesting biography. Her life has been described as a ‘Cinderela’ type of life. This work tells of how she overcame darker moments, depression and challenging relationships. Born in 1918 in Edinburgh the journey of life took her to many places ranging from Rhodesia to Rome. The influence of her life and times upon her work was especially illuminating. For those interested in women of the 20th century and their writing this book is highly recommended. ( )