by James Kelman
First published 1987
This anthology brings together short fiction from three Scottish writers who met in Philip Hobsbaum's writing workshop during the 1970s. Gray contributes his characteristic stories alongside work from James Kelman and Agnes Owens. Each writer's section opens with a detailed portrait by Gray paired with a reproduction of their signature. The collection captures the voices of authors who would later become central figures in the Scottish literary renaissance. Gray chronicles the book's origins in a final memoir section, revealing how his friendship with Kelman and Owens led to this joint publication. When Gray needed additional material to complete his contracted story collection, he chose to showcase his fellow writers' work through a major London publisher. The anthology demonstrates the collaborative spirit that fueled Scotland's literary boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, anthologies, 20th-century, british-literature, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Scotland, London
Period: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s
288 pages · Paperback · Abacus Books (Sphere)