Book Review: A Good Comb is the perfect gift for the Muriel Spark fan in your life. It was affectionately released by New Directions to celebrate the centenary of her birth. Subtitled The Sayings of Muriel Spark, and edited by Penelope Jardine, A Good Comb contains the same distinct Spark vibe of all her writing. The collection may not be for everybody, and may be a wee bit more difficult to absorb unless the reader has devoured two or three of her novels. Her prickly intelligence and hopeful cynicism are like no one else. Her clear-eyed focus on religion is unique in itself (she may be a believer, but she's skeptical of that belief). For those who love Spark's gem-like writing as I do, it's a wonderful gift, even if I bought it for myself. The selection is divided into categories, such as "Writing," "Sex & Love," "Art," and "Truth." There are too many brilliant lines here, but a few are: "Beware the wickedness of the righteous"; "A good disposition is more precious to God than fine feelings"; "She wasn't a person to whom things happen"; "Henry Castlemaine loved his daughter dearly, and himself a little more." I should note that since these "sayings" were taken from her fiction, they are actually the words of her characters or narrators, and not necessarily those of Spark herself (but I think most reflect her thoughts and beliefs). My guess is that a second volume, equally good, could be easily created. My only suggestion, gently given, is that I wish the quotes in A Good Comb had been linked somehow to their origins, creating context for Spark's most avid readers. [4★]
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