Gordon Burn's writing delves into the complex landscapes of modern fame, faded celebrity, and the pervasive influence of media on contemporary life. His work, spanning both fiction and non-fiction, often probes the darker facets of human nature, particularly within the realms of sport and true crime. He possessed a keen interest in infamous figures and cultural icons, dissecting their ascents and descents, and the profound impact of their public image. Burn's distinctive literary voice offers sharp insights into both individual psychology and societal dynamics.
The protagonist grapples with his role as a reporter covering a string of horrific murders and sex crimes. As he delves deeper into the stories, he begins to question whether he is merely an observer or if he is entangled in a more complex web of cause and effect, leading him to confront unsettling truths about his own involvement.
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.
Duncan Edwards played his first game for Manchester United at the age of fifteen and Walter Winterbottom, then England manager, called him 'the spirit of British football'. Then in February 1958 came Munich. Half a decade later George Best represented United reborn. 'El Beatle' of the European Cup in '68 and European Player of the Year;
It seemed the case of the notorious Yorkshire Ripper was finally closed when Peter Sutcliffe was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981. But in the early 1980s, Gordon Burn spent three years living in Sutcliffe's home town of Bingley, researching his life.
In this controversial and seminal work of reportage, Gordon Burn reveals the strange inner dynamic of Fred and Rosemary West's relationship. Based on meticulous research, this dark history is told in a powerful, compelling narrative. With a new introduction by Benjamin Myers.
In a forensic dissection of Britain's souring landscape Gordon Burn tells the tale of Ray Cruddas, a light entertainer effecting a semi-dignified retreat from his fading career, who returns to the unnamed northern town of his youth.'Burn carves a tale of mutual dependence between two also-rans - Ray, once a successful Geordie comedian, and Jackie, an almost made-it boxer . . . It is a book about ageing, about the long haul between what you hoped your life might be and the acceptance of what it is - and about the loneliness of men.' Anna Raeburn, Jewish Chronicle
Damien Hirst is one of the most controversial, influential, and fascinating artists working today, and arguably the most famous. From the controversy of his early work to the political storm surrounding the arrival of the exhibition Sensation at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, his work has redefined international expectations of modern art. Even people with only a passing knowledge of art are familiar with his installations of a shark, cows, and sheep pickled in formaldehyde.On the Way to Work is an extremely candid autobiography of Hirst presented in a series of conversations. He expounds in unpredictable and scabrously funny ways on everything from art to celebrity to sex, and these frank and intimate conversations are punctuated with art from all phases of his career chosen by Hirst himself. This book is a window into Hirst's growing up in working class northern England, roughhousing in pubs, obsessing about life and death, questioning art world fame, and believing that art and beauty make a difference in the modern world.In addition to the attention he generates, this dynamic artist also garners critical acclaim-he is the winner of the Turner Prize and, ever since the groundbreaking exhibition that he organized as a fledgling artist in the early nineties, he is considered the unofficial leader of the Young British Artists movement. Hirst's appeal goes beyond the world of art; he's an influential figure to architects, designers, and the fashion crowd as well. Engaging, well-illustrated, and a real event in the art world, On the Way to Work , like its subject, will generate controversy and acclaim. Damien Hirst is one of the most controversial, influential, and fascinating artists working today, and arguably the most famous. From the controversy of his early work to the political storm surrounding the arrival of the exhibition Sensation at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, his work has redefined international expectations of modern art. Even people with only a passing knowledge of art are familiar with his installations of a shark, cows, and sheep pickled in formaldehyde.On the Way to Work is an extremely candid autobiography of Hirst presented in a series of conversations. He expounds in unpredictable and scabrously funny ways on everything from art to celebrity to sex, and these frank and intimate conversations are punctuated with art from all phases of his career chosen by Hirst himself. This book is a window into Hirst's growing up in working class northern England, roughhousing in pubs, obsessing about life and death, questioning art world fame, and believing that art and beauty make a difference in the modern world.In addition to the attention he generates, this dynamic artist also garners critical acclaim-he is the winner of the Turner Prize and, ever since the groundbreaking exhibition that he organized as a fledgling artist in the early nineties, he is considered the unofficial leader of the Young British Artists movement. Hirst's appeal goes beyond the world of art; he's an influential figure to architects, designers, and the fashion crowd as well. Engaging, well-illustrated, and a real event in the art world, On the Way to Work , like its subject, will generate controversy and acclaim.
