num_pages: 432
description: In a dark comedy of errors, Iris Murdoch portrays the mischief wrought by Julius, a cynical intellectual who decides to demonstrate through a Machiavellian experiment how easily loving couples, caring friends, and devoted siblings can betray their loyalties. As puppet master, Julius artfully plays on the human tendency to embrace drama and intrigue and to prefer the distraction of confrontations to the difficult effort of communicating openly and honestly.
language: English
title: A Fairly Honourable Defeat
titlecomplete: A Fairly Honourable Defeat
genres: 20th Century, Philosophy, Literary Fiction, Novels, LGBT, Literature, Classics, British Literature, Irish Literature, Fiction
ratings_count: 2204
awards: awardedAt: 28800000
name: Booker Prize
category: The Lost Man Booker Prize Longlist
publisher: Penguin Classics