A Disaffection

The endlessly inventive and gripping story of one man's rebellion and passion

With this novel James Kelman reveals a talent so huge in today's terms that one is tempted to mention Zola and Beckett

His style is endlessly inventive, his characters have huge souls and his point of view is uncompromising. If people don't start listening, they only have themselves to blame

Kelman has artistry, authenticity and a voice of singular power. A Disaffection leaves one reassured and indeed optimistic about the state of British literature today.

James Kelman was born in Glasgow in 1946. His books include Not not while the giro, The Busconductor Hines, A Chancer, Greyhound for breakfast, which won the 1987 Cheltenham Prize, and A Disaffection, which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. His most recent novel, How late it was, how late won the 1994 Booker Prize. James Kelman lives in Glasgow with his wife and two daughters.

Patrick Doyle is a twenty-nine-year-old teacher in an ordinary comprehensive school. Isolated, frustrated and increasingly bitter at the system he is employed to maintain, he begins his rebellion, fuelled by drink and his passionate, unrequited love for a fellow teacher.

James Kelman

A passionate, scintillating, brilliant song of a book

Forging a wholly distinctive style from the bruised cadences of demotic Glaswegian, Kelman renders the hidden depths of ordinary lives in sardonic, abrasive prose which is more revealing of feelings that could ever be expected...as uplifting a novel as one could ever hope to read

A work of marvellous vibrance and richness of character… it convinces, it charms, it entertains, it informs and it has life…. How Late it Was, How Late deserves every accolade it gets

The classic BOOKER PRIZE winning novel

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 
 
‘A passionate, scintillating, brilliant song of a book’ 
Guardian 
 
 
Sammy's had a bad week. 
 
 
Most of it's just a blank space in his mind, and the bits that he can remember, he'd rather not. His wallet's gone, along with his new shoes, he's been arrested then beaten up by the police and thrown out on the street - and he's just gone blind. He remembers a row with his girlfriend, but she seems to have disappeared; and he might have been trying to fix a bit of business up with an old mate, he's not too sure. 
 
 
Things aren't looking too good for Sammy and his problems have hardly begun.

James Kelman

Praise for How Late It Was How Late

A passionate, scintillating, brilliant song of a book

Forging a wholly distinctive style from the bruised cadences of demotic Glaswegian, Kelman renders the hidden depths of ordinary lives in sardonic, abrasive prose which is more revealing of feelings that could ever ...

A work of marvellous vibrance and richness of character… it convinces, it charms, it entertains, it informs and it has life…. How Late it Was, How Late deserves every accolade it gets

A passionate, scintillating, brilliant song of a book

Forging a wholly distinctive style from the bruised cadences of demotic Glaswegian, Kelman renders the hidden depths of ordinary lives in sardonic, abrasive prose which is more revealing of feelings that could ever ...

A work of marvellous vibrance and richness of character… it convinces, it charms, it entertains, it informs and it has life…. How Late it Was, How Late deserves every accolade it gets

A passionate, scintillating, brilliant song of a book

Forging a wholly distinctive style from the bruised cadences of demotic Glaswegian, Kelman renders the hidden depths of ordinary lives in sardonic, abrasive prose which is more revealing of feelings that could ever ...

A work of marvellous vibrance and richness of character… it convinces, it charms, it entertains, it informs and it has life…. How Late it Was, How Late deserves every accolade it gets

Books by James Kelman

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