Harris was vexed at shaws greater success as a playwright. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20. He edited an offbeat contribution to literary history called the book of prefaces. He studied at glasgow school of art from 1952 to 1957. This anthology of prefaces has been announced so many times in previous alasdair gray blurbs as to seem like a joke, though one. I first heard of it as workinprogress in the summer of 1998 when i received a begging letter, as he put it, from its beleaguered author. 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. With its solidly imposing type and marginal commentaries in red, this, it would appear, is a book which thinks it is the bible. I picked this book up at the library because it had an interesting look to it. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century by alasdair gray goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. It seeks to provide a history of how literature spread and developed through the nations of england, ireland, scotland, and the united states. Its like will not be seen again for at least another millennium. It won the scottish book of the year award and the scottish arts council book award.
Mencken described the work as my most important book in its effects upon my professional career. Complete summary of alasdair grays the book of prefaces. His remit has been to produce a history of literature in english from the sixth. Alasdair gray, stephen bernstein 1999 isbn 9780838754146. Gray regrets that ideas homer, jesus, shakespeare, mark twain. 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. Buy the book of prefaces first edition by gray, alasdair isbn. This anthology gathers the work of great writers such as geoffrey chaucer, lewis carroll, john milton, edgar allan poe, and many more. There is the biographical snippet, full of gossipy details that make us feel at.
Alasdair gray has opened his book of prefaces with what he calls an. May 19, 2000 alasdair gray ends his book of prefaces thus, i consider this anthology a memorial to the kind of education british governments now think useless, especially for british workingclass children. The frank harris preface project inspired by alasdair gray s excellent book of prefaces, it is my intention to put as many as possible of harris prefaces and introductions online. Gray regrets that ideas homer, jesus, shakespeare, mark twain et cetera. His first novel, lanark 1981, is seen as a landmark of scottish fiction. His works of fiction combine realism, fantasy, and science fiction with the use of his own typography and illustrations, and won several awards. Since lanark appeared in 1981, gray has produced work of all kinds. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century by gray, alasdair at. Alasdair james gray was a scottish writer and artist.
He kept the biggest estates, and where he lacked troops to overawe the natives he evicted the natives and made a game reserve. Inspired by alasdair gray s excellent book of prefaces, it is my intention to put as many as possible of harris prefaces and introductions online. The book was eighty pages long and divided into four essays. It seeks to provide a history of how literature spread. Alasdair gray describes himself as a selfemployed verbal and pictorial artist. Ive finished the anthology of prefaces started five years ago. He was born in riddrie, glasgow, on 28 december 1934, and trained as a painter at the glasgow school of art. He published novels, short stories, plays, poetry and translations, and wrote on politics and the history of english and scots literature.
The arts of alasdair gray, robert crawford and thom nairn 1991 isbn 9780748602940. Jan 24, 2021 2000, alasdair gray, the book of prefaces, bloomsbury 2002, p. I meant to write an exciting story about the world i was in, of which. Like all of alasdair grays books, the book of prefaces is a beautiful book. Richly illustrated by gray, it includes drawings of many of the authors on the cover and. Through his collection of prefaces gray allows the reader to trace metamorphoses in english from c. The book of prefaces edited by alasdair gray books. 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. The prefaces start with early masters such as caedmon and bede, work their way through chaucer, caxton, leland et al to marlowe, shakespeare, donne and their contemporaries, on to dryden and pope and up through the 18th and 19th century greats. Grays own preface begins with an editors advertisement which cites william smellies preface to the. Nov 09, 2002 the book of prefaces, ed alasdair gray bloomsbury. As well as being awardwinning tales, his books are also works of art that are a delight to own and hold, from the embossed boards to his own illustrations. Critical appreciations and a bibliography, phil moores ed.
The anthology of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a. For the book by alasdair gray see the book of prefaces. The title has changed now the book of prefaces, rather than an anthology. With the help of alasdair gray the editor, appearing in the guise of marginal notes. Ideas homer, jesus, shakespeare, mark twain et cetera. Finally, the book of prefaces is a lavishly illustrated anthology with illuminating glosses by gray and others a coffee table. There is the authors attempt to forestall criticism in first editions or to answer it in later ones. The preface usually contains one of four pleasures, says anthologist alasdair gray. New labour and the return of scotland by tom nairn granta.
Lanark by alasdair gray, published in 1981, was a critical and cult success and garnered much praise, but is a tricky book to. For gray literature has always been a very broad term, and in this case it includes politics, history, philosophy, and even some science, all reflected in works that are also decidedly literary. He worked as a parttime art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a fulltime painter and playwright. Book cover designed and illustrated by alasdair gray.
Alasdair grays collection of prefaces is striking in its portentousness. Mencken described the work as most important book in its effects upon my professional career. Isbn 9780712311298 postmodern strategies in alasdair gray s lanark. The anthology of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a treat for any reader. Plus an intriguing glimpse at the, as yet unmade, lanark movie with sections of the original storyboard. Grays book of prefaces supports smellies hypothesis that such a collection exhibits a curious and useful history both of literature and authors.
From lanark to the book of prefaces, alasdair gray, more than any other writer still working, can be claimed as the modern successor to william blake. Shakespearean monologue, yankee wisecracks, wordsworthian. Menckens 1917 collection of essays criticizing american culture, authors, and movements. Alasdair gray wrote this dark, weird novel about glasgow in the 1960s and 70s, when glasgow was a muchloved yet muchmaligned place. There is the biographical snippet, full of gossipy details that make us feel at home in earlier times. It still is, but there was a lot more truth to the caricatures. 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. The price rather more than the suggested second hand value.
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. Buy the book of prefaces new by gray, alasdair isbn. This will stand as a monument to gray s achievements as an artist of words and of pictures. This book is a unique history of how literature spread and developed through three british nations and most north american states. May 21, 2000 the anthology of prefaces alasdair gray bloomsbury buy it at bol. The book of prefaces, is a 2000 book edited and glossed by the scottish artist and novelist alasdair gray. A short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century gray, alasdair on.
The book of prefaces 1st edition by alasdair gray and publisher bloomsbury publishing. Gray arias reference and languages books the guardian. Since he deliberately does not distinguish between the various sorts of front matter a volume may contain, both might be characterised as prefaces. This book is a unique history of how literature spread. 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. Ideas homer, jesus, shakespeare, mark twain et cetera thought im.
The book of prefaces by alasdair gray librarything. Oct 05, 2000 alasdair gray has opened his book of prefaces with what he calls an advertisement and followed that with an essay on what led to english literature. He worked as a parttime art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a. His first novel, lanark, is seen as a landmark of scottish fiction. For those who have read the book but were a wee bit confused by the setting in book 3. Imagine lanark meets something leather, with a kind of poor. A life in four books by scottish writer and illustrator alasdair gray is difficult to categorize within traditional. This book is a unique history of how literature spread and developed through three british nations. 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. Gray, the book of prefaces, london and new york, bloosmbury, 2000, p.
Shakespearean monologue, yankee wisecracks, wordsworthian meditation. Its subtitle a short history of literate thought in words by great writers of four nations from the 7th to the 20th century outlines its scope. The book of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a treat for any reader. This anthology gathers the the book of prefaces offers an unusual and unprecedented look at literature, a treat for any reader. In fact, the book was considered vitriolic enough that menckens close friend alfred knopf was concerned about publishing it because of the massive increase in patriotism during world war i in america. A gray playbook of shows by alasdair gray 19562009. In fact, the book was considered vitriolic enough that menckens close friend alfred knopf was concerned about publishing. Critical responses to alasdair grays writing have often sought to label his work as. Alasdair gray s first novel, lanark, won immediate recognition as a distinctively scottish creation. His works of fiction combine realism, fantasy, and science fiction with the use of his. A conversation with alasdair gray by mark axelrod dalkey archive. May 20, 2000 the book of prefaces alasdair gray bloomsbury. 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.
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