Eyre, Lucy 1974(?)-

PERSONAL:

Born c. 1974; daughter of Sir Richard Eyre (a theater and film director) and Sue Birtwistle (a producer for the British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC]). Education: Graduate of Oxford University.

CAREER:

Writer and novelist.

WRITINGS:

If Minds Had Toes (novel), Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Writer and novelist Lucy Eyre is the daughter of distinguished British film and theatre director Richard Eyre and BBC-TV producer Sue Birtwistle, who produced such notable programs as Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth. In her debut novel, If Minds Had Toes, Eyre tells the story of fifteen-year-old Ben Warner, an average British lad who has been chosen as an object lesson in the practical application of philosophy to people's lives.

The story begins in the shadowy realm of the World of Ideas, where world-class philosophers dwell after death and debate their ideas and concepts throughout eternity. The realm is presided over by a benevolent Socrates, but when the irascible Ludwig Wittgenstein declares that philosophy has no beneficial effect on the lives of the common man, Socrates puts his position as president on the line to prove Wittgenstein's assertion is not true. Socrates tasks his personal secretary, Lila Frost, to find a suitable subject from the land of the living. She settles on Ben Warner, visits him at his job at the fish-and-chips shop Cod Almighty, and convinces him that her mission is real. Entering the World of Ideas through a closet in his home, Ben becomes immersed in detailed discussions of many of the basic ideas of philosophy, including whether one can truly rely on the evidence of the senses; if it is indeed possible for mind to win out over matter; the nature of the eternal conflict between good and evil; whether or not there is such a thing as free will; and what it is that makes an individual a distinct personality and being. When he returns to the real world, Ben's newly acquired knowledge of philosophy perplexes his friends and family, but the concepts he learns become important touchstones in his life, to Wittgenstein's disgruntlement.

Donna Seaman, writing in the Library Journal, observed that Eyre's "wit is radiant, and her clever blend of intellectual riddling and frolicking comedy is larky and enlightening." Eyre's novel "succeeds in making the case that philosophy isn't just for beard-strokers," remarked a Publishers Weekly contributor. London Observer reviewer Alain de Botton noted that Eyre is "intellectually rigorous, but refuses to let high ideals get in the way of writing a book that will be fun and charming for the young adult audience to which it seems aimed." Ultimately, "like her hero Socrates, she wants philosophy to help people to lead better lives," de Botton remarked. A Kirkus Reviews contributor concluded that "Eyre has a great talent for injecting humor into dialogue, which keeps the debates entertaining while retaining their intellectual rigor."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 15, 2006, Donna Seaman, review of If Minds Had Toes, p. 25.

Guardian London, England), January 20, 2007, Catherine Taylor, "Philosophy and Chips," review of If Minds Had Toes.

Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2006, review of If Minds Had Toes, p. 978.

Library Journal, January 1, 2007, Joanna M. Burkhardt, review of If Minds Had Toes, p. 91.

Independent (London, England), November 18, 2005, "Cover Stories," review of If Minds Had Toes.

Observer (London, England), January 7, 2007, Alain de Botton, "It's Still the Thought That Counts," review of If Minds Had Toes.

Publishers Weekly, October 9, 2006, review of If Minds Had Toes, p. 33.

Sunday Times (London, England), March 11, 2007, Sue Fox, "Relative Values," interview with Richard and Lucy Eyre.

Telegraph (London, England), June 1, 2007, Maria Alvarez, "Doors of Perception," review of If Minds Had Toes.

Tribune (Dublin, Ireland), March 4, 2007, Nicholas Fearn, "The Trouble with Philosophy," review of If Minds Had Toes.