Isobel Murray is a Scottish literary scholar, Emeritus Professor at the
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
. She edited the work of
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
and
Naomi Mitchison
Naomi Mary Margaret Mitchison, Baroness Mitchison (; 1 November 1897 – 11 January 1999) was a Scottish novelist and poet. Often called a doyenne of Scottish literature, she wrote over 90 books of historical and science fiction, travel writin ...
. She also edited a series of interviews which she and her husband
Bob Tait carried out with
Scottish writers
This list of Scottish writers is an incomplete alphabetical list of Scottish writers who have a Wikipedia page. Those on the list were born and/or brought up in Scotland. They include writers of all genres, writing in English, Lowland Scots, Scot ...
, and wrote a biography of the writer
Jessie Kesson.
Life
Murray gained her MA at
Edinburgh University
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...
. She then went to the
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
, where she became a senior lecturer and eventually professor. In 1976 she married fellow academic Bob Tait. The couple "formed a pair of literary lions, hosting memorable parties and discussions at their flat for guests such as novelists
Archie Hind and
William McIlvanney
William McIlvanney (25 November 1936 – 5 December 2015) was a Scottish novelist, short story writer, and poet. He was known as Gus by friends and acquaintances. McIlvanney was a champion of gritty yet poetic literature; his works ''Laidlaw'', ' ...
, who became the university’s first writer in residence at their suggestion."
Murray's 2000 biography of
Jessie Kesson won the
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland (NLS) ( gd, Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba, sco, Naitional Leebrar o Scotland) is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. As one of the largest libraries in the ...
/
Saltire Society
The Saltire Society is a membership organisation which aims to promote the understanding of the culture and heritage of Scotland. Founded in 1936, the society was "set up to promote and celebrate the uniqueness of Scottish culture and Scotland’s ...
Scottish Research Book of the Year award
The Saltire Society Literary Awards are made annually by the Saltire Society. The awards seek to recognise books which are either by "living authors of Scottish descent or residing in Scotland," or which deal with "the work or life of a Scot or ...
.
Works
* (ed.) ''The picture of Dorian Gray'' by
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1974.
* (ed.) ''Complete shorter fiction'' by Oscar Wilde. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979.
* (with Bob Tait) ''Ten modern Scottish novels''. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, 1984.
* (ed.) ''Beyond this limit: selected shorter fiction of Naomi Mitchison'' by
Naomi Mitchison
Naomi Mary Margaret Mitchison, Baroness Mitchison (; 1 November 1897 – 11 January 1999) was a Scottish novelist and poet. Often called a doyenne of Scottish literature, she wrote over 90 books of historical and science fiction, travel writin ...
. Edinburgh : Scottish Academic Press, 1986.
* (ed.) ''The soul of man, and prison writings''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.
* (ed.) ''Scottish writers talking: George Mackay Brown, Jessie Kesson, Norman MacCaig, William McIlvanney, David Toulmin''. East Linton, East Lothian: Tuckwell Press, 1996.
* (ed.) ''Complete poetry'' by Oscar Wilde. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.
* ''Jessie Kesson: writing her life''. Edinburgh: Canongate, 2000.
* (ed.) ''Oscar Wilde: the major works'' by Oscar Wilde. Ocford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
* (ed.) ''Scottish writers talking 2: Iain Banks, Bernard Maclaverty, Naomi Mitchison, Iain Crichton Smith, Alan Spence in interview''. East Linton, East Lothian: Tuckwell Press, 2002.
* (ed.) ''Scottish writers talking 3: interviews with Janice Galloway, John Herdman, Robin Jenkins, Joan Lingard, Ali Smith''. Edinburgh: John Donald, 2006.
* (ed.) ''Scottish writers talking 4: Jackie Kay, Allan Massie, Ian Rankin, James Robertson, William (Bill) Watson. Glasgow : Kennedy & Boyd, 2008.
* ''Scottish novels of the Second World War'. Edinburgh: WP Books, 2011.
References
External links
Literature guest blog Saltire SOciety, 9 April 2013
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Isobel
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Academics of the University of Aberdeen
Scottish scholars and academics
Scottish women academics
English literature academics
Scottish literary critics
Scottish women literary critics
Oscar Wilde