Hilary Burdewas a rising star in academia until a tragic accident plunged him and his mentor and rival, Gunnar Jopling, into two decades of depression andguilt. Hilary, unable to overcome his pain, abandoned his promising career for an unfulfilling job as a civil servant. But at age forty-one,Hilary crosses paths again with Gunnar-initiating a series of events that will change their lives forever. Set against a richly drawn backdrop of post-war London, A Word Child is a gripping story of passion and the redemptive power of love.

Iris Murdoch (1919-1999) is the author of twenty-six novels, including Under the Net, The Black Prince, and The Sea, The Sea,as well as several plays and a volume of poetry. Murdoch taught philosophy at Oxford before leaving to write fulltime, winning such literary awards as the Booker Prize and the PEN Gold Pen for Distinguished Service to Literature.