An account of two people - Fred and Rose West - who lived together, raised (and killed) children, provided sexual services for anyone interested, and pretended to provide social services for single women. Investigated and told by one of the greatest journalists and writers of the last twenty years, this is the most powerful and upsetting true crime book you will ever read.
Summer 2007 was an extraordinarily rich time for news. Floods. Foot and mouth. The disappearances of Tony Blair and Madeleine McCann. The arrival of Gordon Brown. Terror attacks in Glasgow. And Gordon Burn, artist, journalist and true-crime author, has taken the events from this bleak summer and turned them into an utterly unique novel about the way news is made, and how the media creates and manipulates the stories we see before us. A daring and thrilling novel from one of the most astute observers of celebrity and tragedy, that is sure to make the headlines itself.
Spring 2001, and the countryside of the North East of England resembles Fitzgerald's 'valley of ashes': the air is choked with the stench and smoke of the pyres which are burning in an attempt to contain the epidemic of foot and mouth disease. After forty years away, Ray Cruddas, a comedian with a national, considerably faded reputation, has returned to the North East to live. He has a new wife, a new club and a house close to a stand of trees which has haunted him from childhood. But he still believes he is living life at one remove, through the more vibrant, seemingly less complex and conflicted person of Jackie Mabe, the former boxer who, in his capacity as driver, drinking partner and gofer, has always stood between Ray Cruddas and the world. Jackie Mabe performed this role once before: for Jack Solomons, known as 'Jolly Jack' and 'the potentate', who ruled British boxing in the decades before and after the War. Along with the Victorian painter Ralph Hedley, the Geordie comic Bobby Thompson, and Margaret Thatcher's director of communications Gordon Reece, Solomons is among the many real life figures who populate this extraordinary blend of fact and fiction. The North of England Home Service, like Gordon Burn's earlier novels, reanimates and reinvents popular culture, making unexpected connections and salvaging something palpable from the evanescent spectacle of contemporary life.
Following the 1985 final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis, Britain found itself in the grip of a new sporting obsession. Snooker, or 'Coronation Street with balls', was suddenly big business and 1986 was set to be a crucial year. In one corner was Barry Hearn and his Romford Mafia - Davis, Taylor and Griffiths - and in the other were the bad boys - Higgins, White and Knowles - threatening the game's good name, and its earning potential. For one year, Gordon Burn travelled with this snooker circus, from Hong Kong and China to out of season resorts in the North of England and the season's finale in Sheffield. With unprecedented access to the leading players and personalities involved, Pocket Money affords a unique snapshot into an extraordinary time and place.
Burn bases this 1991 Whitbread Prize novel on the life of Alma Cogan, a 1950s British singer who died of cancer in 1966. In Burn's tale, Alma is still alive in 1986, and she explores the complex relationship between her public and private life. Some strong language and some violence.
Embark on an epic journey from the historic streets of Edinburgh to the exotic landscapes of India and Burma with W. G. Burn Murdoch in 'From Edinburgh to India & Burmah.' Penned in the late 19th century, this travel narrative invites readers to accompany Murdoch on a captivating expedition across continents, unveiling the diverse cultures, landscapes, and adventures encountered along the way. As Murdoch recounts his experiences, readers are transported from the Scottish capital to the vibrant and enchanting realms of the Indian subcontinent and Burma. The narrative captures the essence of 19th-century travel, providing a firsthand account of the challenges and wonders of a transcontinental journey. More than a travelogue, 'From Edinburgh to India & Burmah' is a testament to the spirit of exploration and the allure of distant lands. Join Murdoch on this literary expedition where each page unfolds a new chapter of discovery, making it an essential read for those captivated by tales of cross-continental adventures and the rich tapestry of cultures encountered along the way.
Due to popular demand, this extraordinary book project by Damien Hirst is now available in a reduced format. This dynamic and provocative collection of Hirst's ideas and obsessions is a powerful combination of text and visual elements. Each piece is set against a visual narrative of drawings, words, photography, typography, pop-ups, and other special effects that make this book like no other. An essay by cult novelist Gordon Burn looks at Hirst's work and the breadth of its impact. Designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, this is a landmark publication that has redefined the fine art monograph. AUTHOR BIO: Damien Hirst was born in Bristol and studied fine art at Goldsmiths College in London. In 1995, he won the prestigious Turner Prize. He has had recent solo exhibitions at the White Cube, London; the Marble Palace, Russia; Saatchi Gallery, London; Gagosian Gallery, New York; and Tate Gallery, London. Gordon Burn is an award-winning writer of both fiction and nonfiction. His book of interviews with Damien Hirst, On the Way to Work, was published in 2002.
Mystery and excitement abound in this lively collection of fairy tales, folklore and legends, which celebrate Scotland's enormously rich oral tradition and offers a carefully chosen combination of old favourites such as Tam Lin, Thomas Rymer and Adam Bell, as well as more modern stories by master story-tellers like Andrew Lang, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and John Buchan.
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