The loves of Edna O'Brien: 'The affair had a ruinous effect. The scale of her misery and obsession is hard to overstate'

The article discusses the profound impact of Edna O'Brien's life and work as revealed through her personal diaries, which filmmaker Sinead O'Shea studied for her documentary. O'Brien's tumultuous relationships, particularly a dangerous liaison with a British politician, nearly derailed her literary career. The writer reflects on their previous indifference to O'Brien, which shifted after a commissioned interview, opening their eyes to the complexity and depth of her contributions to literature and the challenges she faced.

"While researching her film on the author's life, director Sinead O'Shea was given her personal diaries to read. They recount numerous awful liaisons she had, including one with a British politician that almost ended her literary career - and her life."

"It amazes me now to think how little I once cared about Edna O'Brien. This changed 10 years ago when I was asked to interview her by a US magazine called Publishers Weekly."

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