Synopses & Reviews
James Kelman is one of the most important Scottish writers now living. His fiction is widely acclaimed, and widely caricatured. His art declares war on stereotypes, but is saddled with plenty of its own.
This book attempts to disentangle Kelman's writing from his reputation, clarifying his literary influences and illuminating his political commitments. It is the first book to cover the full range and depth of Kelman's work, explaining his position within genres such as the short story and the polemical essay, and tracing his interest in anti-colonial politics and existential thought. Essays by leading experts combine lucid accounts of the heated debates surrounding Kelman's writing, with a sharp focus on the effects and innovations of that writing itself.
Kelman's own reception by reviewers and journalists is examined as a shaping factor in the development of his career. Chapters situate Kelman's work in critical contexts ranging from masculinity to vernacular language, cover influences from Chomsky to Kafka, and pursue the implications of Kelman's rhetoric from Glasgow localism to 'World English'.
Synopsis
James Kelman is the most influential and controversial Scottish writer today. Yet despite international fame and recognition, his radical art is often subject to caricature and misunderstanding. The first major collection of essays devoted to Kelman's writing, this anthology clarifies and explores the full spectrum of his extraordinary work. Original essays consider novels, short stories, essays, polemics, and plays, and the vigorous debates they provoke. Key topics include Kelman's distinctive approach to language and narrative technique, his influence on recent Scottish fiction, his affiliations in socialist, nationalist, anticolonial, and gender politics, his interplay between political, linguistic, and artistic agendas, and his place within realist, modernist, and existential literary traditions. Contributors also address wider debates in which Kelman's work is prominent, including the literary status of vernacular writing, the politics of canonizing working-class culture, and the validity of postcolonial approaches to Scottish literature.
Synopsis
James Kelman is one of the most important Scottish writers now living. This book attempts to clarify his literary influences and to illuminate his political commitments. It is the first book to cover the full range and depth of Kelman's work, explaining his position within genres such as the short story and the polemical essay, and tracing his interest in anti-colonial politics and existential thought. Chapters combine lucid accounts of the heated debates surrounding Kelman's writing, with a sharp focus on the techniques of that writing itself.
About the Author
Scott Hames is Lecturer in the Department of English Studies at the University of Stirling