He is also the author of the book of prefaces, the storycollection, ten tales tall and true, and the groundbreaking modern classic, lanark. We have new and used copies available, in 1 editions starting at. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. The book of prefaces, is a 2000 book edited and glossed by the scottish artist and novelist alasdair gray. The author cited kafka as a major influence, but just about any interpretation of his words is possibleand thats the fun. This book is a unique history of how literature spread and developed through three british nations and most north american states. He played a central role during the nineteeneighties and nineteennineties in reimagining literary glasgow, and largely bypassing all those tired cliches of. The novel, a semiautobiographical mix of science fiction, fantasy and. With invented blurbs and a tongueincheek introduction, gray immediately signals his intentions to. He was born in riddrie, glasgow, on 28 december 1934, and trained as a painter at the glasgow school of art. As in alasdair grays lanark, 1982 janine, poor things, and the book of prefaces, this one has many styles of narrative and location.
This anthology of prefaces has been announced so many times in previous alasdair gray blurbs as to. When i heard that a selection of alasdair grays art was going to be exhibited in the. He was a writer and actor, known for thirtyminute theatre 1965, here i stand. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray, first edition. Gray has since written another novel, 1982 janine, and a book of short fiction entitled unlikely stories, mostly. Alasdair gray has chosen and edited all of the prefaces presented in this impressive volume and has included commentary by some thirty other authors including james kelman, a.
Finally, the book of prefaces is a lavishly illustrated anthology with illuminating glosses by gray and others a coffee table book with intellectual heft. This will stand as a monument to grays achievements as an artist of words and of pictures. Periclean athens, renaissance florence, victorian somerset mingle with britain under the new labour party, viewed from the west end of glasgow. Complete summary of alasdair gray s the book of prefaces. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century book online at best prices in india on. Some suspected a gray type joke as the book failed to appear year on year. Alasdair gray is an old asthmatic glaswegian who lives by painting, writing and book design. Learn more about his life and career, including his other notable books.
A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century by alasdair gray editor 4. It seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the nations of england, ireland, scotland, and the united states. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century gray, alasdair on. First edition and first print published by bloomsbury in 2000. The price rather more than the suggested second hand value. The book of prefaces edited by alasdair gray books. He studied at glasgow school of art from 1952 to 1957. While alasdair gray has chosen and edited all the prefaces and has written most of the commentary he has been assisted in this endeavour by some thirty authors who have also written commentaries. A gray play book follows the creation of the playwright genius from his first work, written at age 11, to the 2008 oneact play voices in the dark. For many years in catalogues of forthcoming publications alsadair grays anthology of prefaces has been referred to. Lanark by alasdair gray, poor things by alasdair gray, unlikely stories, mostly by alasdair gray, 1982, janine by alasdair gra. Its great to have all these wonderful prefaces in one handy volume, but gray, who supplies an introduction and many of the glosses, writes in a kind of shorthand, staccato style that is unpleasant, and he has weak control of comma usage.
The book of prefaces edited by alasdair gray books the. The recent winner of whitbread novel award for 1992, as well as the guardian fiction prize. The anthology of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a treat for any reader. Ive finished the anthology of prefaces started five years ago. Nov 04, 2002 buy the book of prefaces new edition by gray, alasdair isbn. Alasdair gray is a glasgow writer and artist, most famous for his novel lanark 1981. Alasdair gray notes in the epilogue section, strangely on p.
This book is a unique history of how literature spread and developed through three british nations. Alasdair james gray 28 december 1934 29 december 2019 was a scottish writer and artist. The first book was probably shaws adventures of the black girl in search of god. Kennedy, bernard maclaverty, liz lochhead, roger scruton and, indeed, virginia woolf. Alasdair gray in this frank, playful and typically unorthodox collection of essays, alasdair gray tells of how his early life experiences influenced his writing, including the creation of those landmarks of literature, lanark and 1982, janine. Born in 1934, alasdair gray graduated in design and mural painting from the glasgow school of art.
One of the countrys finest writers and painters, alasdair gray has been a monumental influence. He worked as a parttime art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a fulltime painter and playwright. Alasdair grays novel lanark was finally published in 1981 by edinburghs canongate books, then a very small company who accepted grays offer to design the cover of the book to save money. His poetry has a similarly questioning, subversive tone but is also honest and painfully aware of loss. Sep 11, 2014 alasdair gray won the the whitbread and guardian awards for poor things. Finally, the book of prefaces is a lavishly illustrated anthology with illuminating glosses by gray and others a coffee table book with intellectual. Oct 15, 2007 bbc collective interviews the acclaimed scottish author and artist. I picked this book up at the library because it had an interesting look to it. This book will be an invaluable companion through life.
This note, well the entire section, appears to reconcile the disparate narratives which occupy the novel. Alasdair james gray was a scottish writer and artist. Gray s short novel, a history maker, is again a fiction presented swaddled in explanation and exegesis, a fictional memoir edited and annotated and commented upon. So an earthly adventure i aim to show, an eerie adventure some men have beheld, an outrageous adventure of arthurs wonders. A possible explanation is that the author thinks a heavy book will make a bigger splash than two light ones. Alasdair gray books list of books by author alasdair gray. Alasdair gray won the the whitbread and guardian awards for poor things. Alasdair gray was born on december 28, 1934 in glasgow, scotland. This anthology gathers the work of great writers such as geoffrey chaucer, lewis carroll, john milton, edgar allan poe, and many more.
The book of prefaces seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the nations of england, ireland, scotland, and the united states. Dec, 2012 alasdair gray s every short story is an exhaustive anthology of a reliably unreliable storyteller alasdair gray. This book is not a monster created by a literary baron frankenstein, but a unique history of how literature spread and developed through three british nations and most north american states. A gray playbook of shows by alasdair gray 19562009. The title has changed now the book of prefaces, rather than an anthology. Jun 10, 2000 gray lanark and a history maker poured 16 years of research into the book of prefaces, and adds considerable value with his own running commentary, which straggles down the margins in brash red ink. He was married to morag mcalpine and inge sorenson.
Menckens 1917 collection of essays criticizing american culture, authors, and movements. Now his first novel reappears in a fulldress hardcover treatment with. In november 2019, he received a lifetime achievement award by the. The novel, a semiautobiographical mix of science fiction, fantasy and politics, won the david niven and saltire society awards. Hardcover first edition, first printing and first us edition. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Decorated and englished in prosaic verse by alasdair gray. From unthank to glasgow and back the new york times. If ye listen this lay but one little while, i shall tell it straight as i in town heard, with tongue, as is stated and stocked. It seeks to provide a history of how literature spread. His works of fiction combine realism, fantasy, and science fiction with the use of his own typography and illustrations, and won several awards. Two 600plus page tomes highlight bloomsburys banner year to begin the millennium. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray, paperback barnes.
He died on december 29, 2019 in shieldhall, glasgow. This copy is very rare as it has been signed by alasdair gray to the half title page and 11 of the book s contributors next to their portraits including james kellman. The book of prefaces 2000 tells the story of the development of the english language and of humanism, using a selection of prefaces from books ranging. The book of prefaces, is a 2000 book edited and glossed citation needed by the scottish artist and novelist alasdair gray. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. His books include the novels 1982 janine, the fall of kelvin walker, mcgrotty and ludmilla, poor things, a history maker.
Alasdair gray describes himself as a selfemployed verbal and pictorial artist. For the book by alasdair gray see the book of prefaces a book of prefaces is h. Nicholas lezard finds a political and literary history of britain in the margins of alasdair grays the book of prefaces. May 05, 1985 gray has since written another novel, 1982 janine, and a book of short fiction entitled unlikely stories, mostly. Hailed as a modern visionary on a par with william blake by ali smith and credited with redirecting the tenor of scottish literature for a new generation and cementing the reputation of the publisher canongate, author, playwright, illustrator and muralist alasdair gray was a shining light of the twentieth century.
Written over a period of almost thirty years, it combines realist and dystopian surrealist depictions of his home city of glasgow. Lanark, subtitled a life in four books, is the first novel of scottish writer alasdair gray. The book is beautifully illustrated, wonderfully designed, and contains a charming introduction by gray detailing reasons for prefaces and for enjoying reading them my favourite, enjoying watching authors in a huff. One volume the fourth instalment in the harry potterseries garnered most of the publicity, attention, and sales presumably outselling all other nonharry potter bloomsbury titles combined, but it is the other, alasdair gray s marvel of a book, the book of prefaces, that. A little story about my work with the late alasdair gray, writer, artist and good friend. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Ten tales tall and true by alasdair gray overdrive. Mencken s 1917 collection of essays criticizing american culture, authors, and movements. This is about how alasdair and i put this book together over five years. While alasdair gray has chosen and edited all the prefaces and has written most of the commentary in this book, he was assisted in this by some 30 authors who have also written commentaries. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. I meant to write an exciting story about the world i was in, of which.
His first novel, lanark 1981, is seen as a landmark of scottish fiction. A fat, spectacled, balding, increasingly old glaswegian pedestrian by stephen abell. His first novel, lanark, is seen as a landmark of scottish fiction. Alasdair grays novel lanark was finally published in 1981 by edinburghs canongate books, then a very small. Alasdair gray s novel lanark was finally published in 1981 by edinburghs canongate books, then a very small company who accepted gray s offer to design the cover of the book to save money. For the book by alasdair gray see the book of prefaces. Gray after all was the man that had an erratum slip inserted in an earlier book reading this erratum slip was inserted by mistake.
Alasdair gray is one of the great figures of contemporary scottish writing. The wrapper has only very minor rubbing to the edges hardly noticable. The result of a lifetimes reading and creative labour, intellectual and artistic, the book of prefaces will delight, amaze and inform both casual browsers and students. Plus an intriguing glimpse at the, as yet unmade, lanark movie with sections of the original storyboard. Since 1981, when lanark was published by canongate, he authored, designed and illustrated seven novels, several books of short stories, a collection of his stage, radio and tv plays and a book of his visual art, a life in pictures. Buy the book of prefaces by alasdair gray from waterstones today. A conversation with alasdair gray by mark axelrod dalkey archive.
The book of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a treat for any reader. This god, with revenge in mind, first makes earth ugly as hell. Mencken described the work as my most important book in its effects upon my professional career. Alasdair gray interview on painting and books youtube. Nov 09, 2002 the book of prefaces, ed alasdair gray bloomsbury. A lecturer cornered in an embarrassing menage a trois, a glaswegian cinderella, and an extremely talkative dentist all feature in this brilliant and original collection of tall tales from alasdair gray, author of lanark, poor things and the book of prefaces bringing together social realism, sexual comedy, science fiction and satire, ten tales tall and true proves that truth is indeed much. Alasdair gray, scottish novelist, playwright, and artist best known for his surreal atmospheric novel lanark 1981, which was hailed as a landmark of scottish literature. He published novels, short stories, plays, poetry and translations, and wrote on politics and the history of english and scots literature. Buy alasdair gray by alasdair gray online at alibris. Two decades on, janice galloway finds the book as exuberant and seditious as ever.