Dec 29, 2019 alasdair gray trained as a painter at the local glasgow school of art. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Jack londons nonfiction collection of unpublished book forwards. Here the author can set the stage for the reader, and prepare them for what can be expected from reading the book. The book of prefaces, is a 2000 book edited and glossed citation needed by the scottish artist and novelist alasdair gray.
Buy the book of prefaces new edition by gray, alasdair isbn. He spent most of his twentyfiveyear career working for the times literary supplement, reinterpreting familiar writers from tennyson and trollope to larkin and muldoon, and as his interest in his scottish background grew elucidating those fallen from favour. Just as two poets could destroy the eastern empire in unlikely stories, mostly, gray playfully toys with the readers perception of reality and truth and how it is influenced by the media. 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. Learn more about his life and career, including his other notable books. He published novels, short stories, plays, poetry and translations, and wrote on politics and the history of english and scots literature. 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 first novel, lanark 1981, is seen as a landmark of scottish fiction. Alasdair james gray 28 december 1934 29 december 2019 was a scottish writer and artist. Alasdair gray trained as a painter at the local glasgow school of art. Apr 14, 2016 the introduction introduces the material that is covered in the book.
New digital archive of alasdair gray s paintings and artworks created by his art agent sorcha dallas leaves this site this digital archive will initially be a short term site. It then became known that others were assisting gray in his task of glossing the prefaces including crucially important scottish writers such as jim kelman, tom leonard, janice galloway, and alison kennedy. Every short story by alasdair gray 19512012 by alasdair gray. The preface is a section that comes before the story, and it is often jumbled up with the introduction, foreword, and prologue. The book of prefaces seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the. The novel, a semiautobiographical mix of science fiction, fantasy and.
His satirical blend of realism and fantasy and his compassionate use of humor and sorrow distinguish his novels, short stories, plays, and poems in the crowded field of contemporary literature. Nov 04, 2002 buy the book of prefaces new edition by gray, alasdair isbn. Attention to victorian glasgow with its civic fountains, domestic interiors and medical schools gives the book texture. It is also witty and delightfully written, if at times twodimensional. 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. Prefaces definition of prefaces by the free dictionary.
Lanark, subtitled a life in four books, is the first novel of scottish writer alasdair gray. Alasdair gray and postmodemism critical responses to alasdair grays writing have often sought to label his work as postmodem. Over the last couple of weeks, our blog has been focused on the varying aspects of a books frontmatter from dedications to forewords to todays post, which focuses on the preface. New digital archive of alasdair grays paintings and artworks created by his art agent sorcha dallas leaves this site this digital archive will initially be a short term site. Hardcover first edition, first printing and first us edition. Writing in his 1990s study of alasdair grays novels, stephen bernstein identifies gray as one of the most important living writers in english. The book of prefaces edited by alasdair gray books. This copy is very rare as it has been signed by alasdair gray to the half title page and 11 of the books contributors next to their portraits including james kellman. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray fantastic fiction.
Alasdair gray 11 works search for books with subject alasdair gray. Alasdair gray describes himself as a selfemployed verbal and pictorial artist. A life in four books 1981 grays fic tion has been examined for postmodem narrative techniques and postmodem critiques have been applied. Mencken s 1917 collection of essays criticizing american culture, authors, and movements. It seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the nations of england, ireland, scotland, and the united states. This preface is undated but, based on the content, it must have been written after his resignation from the party in march 1916 and during the last few months of his life. After a decade and a bit of footling around with pleasant but whimsical novels and the occasional killer short story, alasdair gray has finally delivered his longpromised anthology of englishlanguage prefaces.
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. Complete summary of alasdair gray s the book of prefaces. Alasdair gray is an old asthmatic glaswegian who lives by painting, writing and book design. The price rather more than the suggested second hand value. 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. The introduction introduces the material that is covered in the book. This anthology of prefaces has been announced so many times in previous alasdair gray blurbs as to seem like a joke, though one that has taken on a phantom life of its own in booksellers. Complete summary of alasdair grays the book of prefaces. 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. He was born in riddrie, glasgow, on 28 december 1934, and trained as a painter at the glasgow school of art. Prefaced definition of prefaced by the free dictionary. Preface definition in the cambridge english dictionary.
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 star by alasdair gray essays and research papers. 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. 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. He worked as a parttime art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a. 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 grays marvel of a book, the book of prefaces, that. The introduction is a way for the author to grab the reader, and intensify the readers desire to find out more, and hopefully devour the entire book. The title has changed now the book of prefaces, rather than an anthology. This god, with revenge in mind, first makes earth ugly as hell. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation. Written over a period of almost thirty years, it combines realist and dystopian surrealist.
A delightfully original, ironic, and humorous compilation, it aims to include every major introductory essay in the english language from caedmon seventh century up to the. Two 600plus page tomes highlight bloomsburys banner year to begin the millennium. An introductory essay written by a different person is a foreword and precedes an authors preface. As well as a highly respected poet and editor, mick imlah 19562009 was one of the finest literary critics of his generation. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray, first edition abebooks. Preface meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Preface definition is a variable doxology beginning with the sursum corda and ending with the sanctus in traditional eucharistic liturgies. Written over a period of almost thirty years, it combines realist and dystopian surrealist depictions of his home city of glasgow.
An anthology of stories edited by alasdair gray library journal this longanticipated book from a major figure in the scottish literary revival lives up to expectations. Dec 29, 2019 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. For the book by alasdair gray see the book of prefaces a book of prefaces is h. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over.
Nov 09, 2002 the book of prefaces, ed alasdair gray bloomsbury. Alasdair gray born in 1934, alasdair gray graduated in design and mural painting from the glasgow school of art. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Alasdair gray books list of books by author alasdair gray. Mencken described the work as my most important book in its effects upon my professional career. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. In france, europes most fertile and cultivated land, the tillers of it suffered more and more hunger.
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