First published in 1970 and widely regarded as a prophetic masterpiece, this is a groundbreaking experimental novel by the acclaimed author of 'Crash' and 'Super-Cannes'.
The irrational, all-pervading violence of the modern world is the subject of this extraordinary tour de force.
The central character's dreams are haunted by images of John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, dead astronauts and car-crash victims as he traverses the screaming wastes of nervous breakdown. Seeking his sanity, he casts himself in a number of roles: H-bomber pilot, presidential assassin, crash victim, psychopath. Finally, through the black, perverse magic of violence he transcends his psychic turmoil to find the key to a bizarre new sexuality.
In this revised edition, Ballard has added extensive annotation that help to unlock many of the mysteries of one of the most prophetic, enigmatic and original works of the late twentieth century.
Industry Reviews
'The zenith of the experimental novel in English' Will Self
'Brilliant and unnerving ... Ballard is a writer with talent to burn' The Times
'These stories - "condensed novels", Ballard has called them - are a high-water mark in English experimental fiction' New York Times
'A powerful book ... Phrase and image are constantly disturbing and stimulating' Sunday Telegraph
'The terrifying thing about Ballard is his logic; is this science fiction or history written ahead of its time?' Len Deighton
