The Devil's Own Work

Last updated

The Devil's Own Work
TheDevilsOwnWork.jpg
First edition (UK)
Author Alan Judd
Cover artist Gustav Klimt,
Judith I , 1901
LanguageEnglish
Publisher HarperCollins (UK)
Knopf (US)
Publication date
1991 (UK)
1994 (US)
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint
Pages96 (UK)
ISBN 0-00-223832-2

The Devil's Own Work is a 1991 novella by Alan Judd which won the Guardian Fiction Award. A modern version of the Faust legend, [1] it was inspired by a dinner with Graham Greene. [2] and tells of a pact an author makes with the devil as told by his lifelong friend. In style the work was compared by Publishers Weekly with that of Henry James. [3]

Contents

Plot introduction

The unnamed narrator tells of his friend Edward's meeting in the south of France with O. M. (Old Man) Herig, a renowned author. Herig is found dead the following morning and the narrator later learns that Herig was a victim of sexual assault.

Reception

References

  1. Judd, Alan (7 June 1994). The Devil's Own Work. Knopf. ISBN   0679425527.
  2. "Alan Judd". Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  3. "Fiction Book Review: The Devil's Own Work by Alan Judd, Author Knopf Publishing Group $17 (115p) ISBN 978-0-679-42552-6". Publishers Weekly.
  4. Kendall, Elaine (18 October 1994). "BOOK REVIEW / NOVEL : A Story of Literary Dreams and Revenge : THE DEVIL'S OWN WORK by Alan Judd; Knopf $17, 115 pages". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  5. Thirty years on » The Spectator Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  6. "THE DEVIL'S OWN WORK by Alan Judd". Kirkus. 1 May 1994. Retrieved 20 September 2013.