The Crooked Dividend: Essays on Muriel Spark

This volume of fourteen essays offers fresh insight into the life and work of Muriel Spark (1918–2006), one of Scotland’s most internationally celebrated writers. Known for her cultural cosmopolitanism and sharp wit, Spark was prolific as a novelist, poet, short story writer, dramatist, and literary critic. The Crooked Dividend provides a thorough overview of Spark’s multifaceted work and examines the cultural, literary, and personal frameworks that shaped her writing. These essays contextualise Spark within post-war British culture, analyse the influence of longstanding Scottish literary traditions on her work, and explore the full range of her literary output through topics such as gender, religion, and politics. In a comprehensive examination of her publications, archive material, and colourful career, this volume celebrates and reaffirms Spark’s international legacy.