The Secret History, 30 years on: Looking back on a milestone book 

Marjorie Brennan pays tribute to The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and recalls some of the other books that made waves in 1992 
The Secret History, 30 years on: Looking back on a milestone book 

Marjorie Brennan: Donna Tartt’s compelling and murderous tale of a clique of classics students who fall under the spell of a charismatic professor at an elite American college connected with me in a way that few books have since

There are some books that serve as milestones in our lives, evocations of a particular time and place tucked between the timeworn covers. For me, The Secret History is one of those. 

As a teenage undergraduate on the cusp of adulthood, Donna Tartt’s compelling and murderous tale of a clique of classics students who fall under the spell of a charismatic professor at an elite American college connected with me in a way that few books have since. 

Already a subscriber? Sign in

You have reached your article limit.

Subscribe to access all of the Irish Examiner.

Annual €130 €80

Best value

Monthly €12€6 / month

More in this section

Scene & Heard

Newsletter

Music, film art, culture, books and more from Munster and beyond.......curated weekly by the Irish Examiner Arts Editor.

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited