Muriel Spark - Relationship With Her Son

Relationship With Her Son

Spark and her son Robin had a strained relationship. They had a falling out when Robin's Orthodox Judaism prompted him to petition for his late grandmother to be recognized as Jewish (Spark's maternal grandmother, Adelaide Hyams, had married Spark's maternal grandfather, Tom Uezzell, in a church; it was unclear whether both of Adelaide's parents were Jewish). The devout Catholic Spark reacted by accusing him of seeking publicity to further his career as an artist. During one of her last book signings in Edinburgh she responded to an enquiry from a journalist asking if she would see her son by saying 'I think I know how best to avoid him by now'.

Read more about this topic:  Muriel Spark

Famous quotes containing the words relationship with, relationship and/or son:

    When a mother quarrels with a daughter, she has a double dose of unhappiness—hers from the conflict, and empathy with her daughter’s from the conflict with her. Throughout her life a mother retains this special need to maintain a good relationship with her daughter.
    Terri Apter (20th century)

    Every relationship that does not raise us up pulls us down, and vice versa; this is why men usually sink down somewhat when they take wives while women are usually somewhat raised up. Overly spiritual men require marriage every bit as much as they resist it as bitter medicine.
    Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)

    So cruel prison how could betide, alas,
    As proud Windsor, Where I in lust and joy
    With a king’s son my childish years did pass
    In greater feast than Priam’s sons of Troy?
    Where each sweet place returns a taste full sour;
    Henry Howard, Earl Of Surrey (1517?–1547)