The Muse: A memoir of love at first sight

by Nell Dunn

Nobody writes like Nell Dunn... always communally, with rare honesty, with love, and with calm and ground-breaking understanding... It's glorious. Ali Smith The Muse is all it could be; an act of sharing that goes beyond particular experience to take us to a happy realm of natural sisterhood. TLSNell Dunn has perfect pitch for the words we use and for the loves and mysteries of the human heart. Carmen Callil Defiant, funny and exhilarating. The Muse is so high-spirited and full of a sense of adventure. Margaret DrabbleThis slim volume is entertaining... You long to know more about Nell's lifeDaily MailThe Muse is the story of a life-changing friendship. It starts with Nell's account of a chance meeting with Josie at the age of 22.Josie teaches her how to live for moment, how to have adventures and find the sweetness of life even in hardship. This was the Sixties, a time of literary and sexual experimentation, of the breakdown of old barriers and inhibitions Even as she was hooking up with dodgy men, Josie always carried herself like a star, and as the inspiration for the ground-breaking novel of working class women Poor Cow and the play Steaming - both of which were made into movies - she became one, feted by producers on Broadway.Life is the thing, was Josie's motto. But where would her philosophy of taking no care for tomorrow lead her?In prose of unique clarity and simplicity that always gets straight to the heart of matter, The Muse follows this friendship over the decades.

Genres: Nonfiction

140 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 23, 2020

About the author

Nell Mary Dunn (born 9 June 1936) is an English playwright, screenwriter and author. She is known especially for a volume of short stories, Up the Junction, and a novel, Poor Cow.

Reviews

[Alan Mackay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really for me. A little too repetitive and the poor spelling and grammar became irritating by the end of this thankfully short book.

[Michelle B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Muse is the wonderful story of the beautiful, long-standing friendship between author Nell Dunn and her muse, Josie.
The story is primarily told in the form of letters from Josie to Nell and completed with parts from Nell and other friends.
About twenty years ago I read all of Nell’s early works and they have stayed with me and reading this was like a peek behind the curtain to see into their world and understand their friendship which inspired the wonderful works of Nell Dunn.
It is a perfect book for any fan of Nell Dunn.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[k Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not usually a fan of memoirs but this is wonderful as, for me, memoirs are better when focussed on something outwith (but which still directly effects) the author’s own existence. Perfectly written, especially in the last few pages:

“And she lifted up the teapot and at that moment I felt a burning heat in my feet that rapidly travelled up my body so I was all on fire. A flame and at the same time a sensation of total bliss suffused my being, so all-encompassing that I thought they might notice but no, it was an invisible bliss. A silent ecstasy that spread through me - heat and light and a deep sense of pleasure. Josie and Sissy noticed nothing. Just drank their tea and were there.”

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A window to a soul

An enchanting love story, skilfully composed, warmly revealing truth and reality. It’s a pity Nell’s letters are missing but she fills in the gaps where needed. It made me smile.

[Ruth Brumby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Positive about friendship. It did raise questions about whether these are actual letters, privacy, copyright etc. However she has a readability to be accurate about the difficulties people have without being negative.

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Nell Dunn's work as it is at once wonderfully spare and yet so full of meaning... this short memoir is the same. The poignancy of these moments and the beauty of this enduring friendship; moving and wonderful.

[Margaret Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an enchanting read. I knew more about Ken Loach's film adaptations than I did about Nell Dunn herself. I couldn't add anything further to Jane Skinner's review below.

[Nia Everitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but repetitive

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of the love I have for my friends. The strength of female friendship is timeless.

[Moniek Baars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aangestoken door deze aflevering van A Good Read, de podcast met Harriet Gilbert, waar iedereen lyrisch was over dit boek, heb ik het meteen aangeschaft. Het is een heel apart verhaal. Dunn vertelt over Josie, een vrouw die iets ouder is dan zij, die van het ene in het andere avontuur duikt en volledig optimistisch blijft. Ze stort zich vol overgave in nieuwe relaties, reist met de mannen (die weinig goeds uitspoken) over de hele wereld, en probeert zich staande te houden maar wordt dan door die man(nen) weer flink door elkaar geschud. Ze schrijft naar Dunn die haar brieven bewaart en nu, op hoge leeftijd, haar ervaringen met Josie heeft gebundeld. Er komen hele bijzondere figuren in voor. De prostituee Olive die gaat samenwonen met een dominee bijvoorbeeld.
Het is het verslag van een vriendschap. Heel liefdevol en toch ook zonder poespas beschreven. Erg fijn.