3.0
Concrete Island
ByPublisher Description
A wealthy architect becomes a modern-day Robinson Crusoe in this chilling, twisted novel by the author of Empire of the Sun and High-Rise.
Robert Maitland, a thirty-five-year-old architect, is driving home from his London offices when a blowout sends his speeding Jaguar hurtling out of control. After smashing through a temporary barrier, he finds himself dazed and disoriented on a traffic island below three converging motorways. But when he tries to climb the embankment or flag down a passing car for help, it proves impossible—and he finds himself imprisoned on the concrete island. Maitland must survive using only what he can find in his crashed car.
As in all J.G. Ballard’s best work, Concrete Island provides an unnerving study of our modern lives and world. With his alienating, “Ballardian” view of normal events, this is a unique novel from one of the twentieth century’s finest writers.
Praise for Concrete Island
“A vision in both style and substance. The literary equivalent of Salvador Dalí or Max Ernst.” —The Washington Post Book World
“This is the excellent stuff of classic castaway adventure, stiffened here by contemporary overtones that call into question social values.” —San Francisco Chronicle
Robert Maitland, a thirty-five-year-old architect, is driving home from his London offices when a blowout sends his speeding Jaguar hurtling out of control. After smashing through a temporary barrier, he finds himself dazed and disoriented on a traffic island below three converging motorways. But when he tries to climb the embankment or flag down a passing car for help, it proves impossible—and he finds himself imprisoned on the concrete island. Maitland must survive using only what he can find in his crashed car.
As in all J.G. Ballard’s best work, Concrete Island provides an unnerving study of our modern lives and world. With his alienating, “Ballardian” view of normal events, this is a unique novel from one of the twentieth century’s finest writers.
Praise for Concrete Island
“A vision in both style and substance. The literary equivalent of Salvador Dalí or Max Ernst.” —The Washington Post Book World
“This is the excellent stuff of classic castaway adventure, stiffened here by contemporary overtones that call into question social values.” —San Francisco Chronicle
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3.0
Kat
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“Picked this one up because I've never read anything by J.G. Ballard before (I knowww) and I just wanted a taster. It's an interesting premise and he's clearly a strong, atmospheric writer. Appreciated the Crusoe parallels.
May pick up Empire of the Sun next.”Christian Brooks
Created about 1 month agoShare
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Frosty
Created 2 months agoShare
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Andrés
Created 3 months agoShare
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About J. G. Ballard
J. G. Ballard is the author of numerous books, including Empire of the Sun, the underground classic Crash, and The Kindness of Women. He is revered as one of the most important writers of fiction to address the consequences of twentieth-century technology. His latest book is Super-Cannes. He passed away in 2009.
Other books by J. G. Ballard
Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is the celebrated author of books, graphic novels, short stories, films, and television for readers of all ages. Some of his most notable titles include the highly lauded #1 New York Times bestseller Norse Mythology; the groundbreaking and award-winning Sandman comic series; The Graveyard Book (the first book ever to win both the Newbery and Carnegie Medals); American Gods, winner of many awards and recently adapted into the Emmy-nominated Starz TV series (the second season slated to air in 2019); The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was the UK’s National Book Award 2013 Book of the Year. Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett a very long time ago (but not quite as long ago as Don’t Panic) and for which Gaiman wrote the screenplay, will air on Amazon and the BBC in 2019.
Author photo by Beowulf Sheehan
Author photo by Beowulf Sheehan
Other books by Neil Gaiman
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