Alasdair gray book prefaces

A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray fantastic fiction. Complete summary of alasdair grays the book of prefaces. The anthology of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a treat for any reader. His poetry has a similarly questioning, subversive tone but is also honest and painfully aware of loss. Richly illustrated by gray, it includes drawings of many of the authors on the cover and the contributors, as well as some of gray s marvelous graphic designs. Born in 1934 in glasgow, he graduated in design and mural art from the glasgow school of art in 1957. Mencken described the work as my most important book in its effects upon my professional career.

He worked as a parttime art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a. Alasdair gray won the the whitbread and guardian awards for poor things. How alasdair gray reimagined glasgow the new yorker. From book three, the reader enters books one and two, which tell of the birth and growth of duncan. Richly illustrated by gray, it includes drawings of many of the authors on the cover and the contributors, as well as some of grays marvelous graphic designs. Ten tales tall and true by alasdair gray overdrive. Menckens 1917 collection of essays criticizing american culture, authors, and movements. It won the scottish book of the year award and the scottish arts council book award. Like all of alasdair gray s books, the book of prefaces is a beautiful book. Pity the simple monk whom alasdair gray in the book of prefaces described as a local herdsman who wanted to be a poet though he had not composed anything. In the one for the book of prefaces, for instance, he issued the following warning to parents, teachers. Alasdair gray 28 december 1934 29 december 2019 was a scottish writer and artist. The most complete unofficial alasdair gray website on the web.

You can see how the font was adapted from the one he created for the book. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century by. 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, is a 2000 book edited and glossed citation needed by the scottish artist and novelist alasdair gray. Episodes from the early life of archibald mccandless m. Buy the book of prefaces by alasdair gray from waterstones today. Alasdair gray 28 december 1934 29 december 2019 wis a scots writer an airtist wha wis born an deed in glesga. His first novel, lanark, published in 1981, was written over almost 30 years. After decades of surviving by painting and writing tv and radio plays, his first novel, the loosely autobiographical, blackly fantastic lanark. New labour and the return of scotland by tom nairn granta. For the book by alasdair gray see the book of prefaces. 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. It was described by the guardian as one of the landmarks of 20thcentury fiction. He encloses a selection of essays about the work of the scottish novelist, artist, poet and politicophilosophic eminence grise, alasdair gray.

A magnificent booklovers book which is a pleasure to browse and an education to peruse. 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. Alasdair gray describes himself as a selfemployed verbal and pictorial artist. Buy the book of prefaces new edition by gray, alasdair isbn. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray book cover, description, publication history. Alasdair gray download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. 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. The book of prefaces is an unusual volume, which took gray years to compile and edit. Alasdair james gray 28 december 1934 29 december 2019 was a scottish writer and artist.

A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century gray, alasdair on. A life in pictures by alasdair gray nook book ebook. Gray, alasdair 1934alasdair james gray source for information on gray, alasdair 1934. The book of prefaces by alasdair gray, first edition. Almost all you want to know about the scottish artist and author of lanark, poor things, unlikely stories mostly and the book of prefaces.

It seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the nations of england, ireland, scotland, and the united states. Alasdair gray, author of the modern classics lanark, poor things and 1982, janine, is without doubt scotlands greatest living novelist. Click download or read online button to get alasdair gray book now. In fact, the book was considered vitriolic enough that menckens close friend alfred knopf was concerned about publishing. Alasdair gray is a glasgow writer and artist, most famous for his novel lanark 1981. As in alasdair grays lanark, 1982 janine, poor things, and the book of prefaces, this one has many styles of narrative and location. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Learn more about his life and career, including his other notable books. He was born in riddrie, glasgow, on 28 december 1934, and trained as a painter at the glasgow school of art. The title has changed now the book of prefaces, rather than an anthology. A gray play book of long and short plays for stage, puppettheatre, radio and television, acted between 1956 and 2009, with an unused opera libretto, a film script of the novel poor things and excerpts from the pictorial storyboard of the novel lanark by alasdair gray. Alasdair grays first novel, lanark, won immediate recognition as a distinctively scottish creation.

It is, as the title suggests, a collection of what he considers the greatest prefaces in works of literature. His works of fiction combine realism, fantasy, and science fiction with the use of his. The book of prefaces seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the. 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. You are holding this book in your hand so you know what those essays are, but picture to yourself and let it be a gray illustration, all firm, flowing penandink lines, precise adumbration, colour. Alasdair gray, who has died aged 85, was one of the few true polymaths of his time. This god, with revenge in mind, first makes earth ugly as hell. Since trying unsuccessfully to buy him a drink in 1998, rodge glass, first tutee and then secretary to the author, takes on the role of biographer, charting grays life from unpublished and unrecognised son of a boxmaker to septuagenarian little grey. He published novels, short stories, plays, poetry and translations, and wrote on politics and the history of english and scots literature. Over more than six hundred pages, it gathers great prefaces from works of english literature from c. The story is told out of order book 3 is at the beginning, and the epilogue comes before the last 4 chapters, yet the story flows perfectly. 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. All that beacon was begotten in gold, in rubies standing fairly and fixed, with five gems likewise. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.