26 May
Ben Schott born London 1974. The son of a neurologist and a nurse achieved a double First from Cambridge. Schott's Almanac was first published in 2005 and is now a bestselling reference book published annually. Discover Schott's Almanac
The Canons… Iconic novels from Canongate in a new livery… original and enduring...
Featured Books
The Complete Short Stories Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark coolly probes the idiosyncrasies that lurk beneath the
veneer of human respectability, displaying the acerbic wit and wisdom
that are the hallmarks of her unique talent. The Complete Short Stories is a collection to be loved and cherished,... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Under the Skin Michel Faber
A brilliantly told and beautifully written novel that defies categorisation, Under the Skin introduces Isserley, a woman obsessed with picking up male hitchhikers - so long as they're well-muscled. An utterly unpredictable and macabre mystery, Michel Faber's debut novel
is... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Stone Junction Jim Dodge
This modern odyssey of one young man's quest for knowledge and
understanding explores a world where revenge, betrayal, revolution,
mind-bending chemicals, magic and murder are the norm. With
jaw-dropping scope, a stiletto-sharp wit and an array of utterly bizarre
characters,... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Ham on Rye Charles Bukowski
Legendary barfly Charles Bukowski's fourth novel, first published in
1982, is probably the most autobiographical and moving of all his books,
dealing in particular with his difficult relationship with his father
and his early childhood in LA. Ham on Rye... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
The People of the Sea : Celtic Tales of the Seal-Folk David Thomson
In an extraordinary exercise of historical reconstruction, David Thomson
travels through the Hebrides and the west coast of Ireland, telling
stories, centuries old, of the 'selchie' or grey Atlantic seal. His
fascinating legends - narrative, lyrical and dramatic - explore... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali Gil Courtemanche
A microcosm for the competing powers and influential groups in Rwanda, A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali looks at those involved in one of the most tragic events of the twentieth century. It is a powerful political novel, a... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
The Living Mountain Nan Shepherd
The Living Mountain is a lyrical testament in praise of the Cairngorms.
It is a work deeply rooted in Nan Shepherd's knowledge of the natural
world, and a poetic and philosophical meditation on our longing for high
and holy places.... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Life of Pi Yann Martel
One boy, one boat, one tiger bobbing around on a lifeboat in the Pacific...and yet it's so much more than that. It really is even now nearly 10 years after it won the Booker Prize, an utterly unique story, brilliantly... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Beneath the Underdog Charles Mingus
Unique and lyrical voice, this memoir of the legendary Charles Mingus charts the highs and lows of a
life lived to the full. Beneath the Underdog is also a portrait of life
in the Forties and Fifties, of ideas of... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Chronicle in Stone Ismail Kadare
A disturbing mix of tragedy, comedy, politics and sexuality, Chronicle
in Stone is a fascinating early masterpiece from the winner of the
inaugural Man Booker International Prize. Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Hunger Knut Hamsun
A struggling writer, stricken by poverty, is caught on a psychological roller-coaster ride of terrifying intensity. According to the Observer this is the classic novel of humiliation, even beyond Dostoevsky. Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Lanark Alasdair Gray
With an introduction by William Boyd who says, 'Lanark will leave its trace on your life', this is a work of extraordinary imagination and wide range, its playful
narrative techniques convey a profound message, both personal and
political, about humankind's... Format: Paperback - Released: 18/08/2011
Jamie Byng, Publisher, Canongate Books and mastermind of the inaugural World Book Night
“Canongate remains a relatively young publisher (currently 38). Nevertheless, over the years we have published many books which we believe to be of lasting power and genuine originality. Our backlist has steadily grown as Canongate has grown up. And it felt like it was time to bring together this eclectic range of great titles that reveal the quality, depth and breadth of the Canongate list. Hence The Canons were born."
The span of these first twelve books ranges from Knut Hamsun’s groundbreaking and chilly masterpiece, Hunger (1890), to Yann Martel’s Man Booker Prize-winning modern classic, Life of Pi (2002). Along the way we are transported to such strange and unforgettable places as Alasdair Gray’s Lanark (1981) and Michel Faber’s Under the Skin (2000), two of the most wildly imagined and remarkable debut novels of the twentieth century. And Muriel Spark’s Collected Stories (2001) seems to distil the very idea of what a Canon should be – bold,
thought-provoking, wise, superbly written, upsetting, entertaining and
infused with humanity.
Robert
Bresson once urged, ‘Make visible what, without you, might never have
been seen.’ Every one of The Canons does this through the singular
vision of its extraordinary creator. We hope that readers share our
enthusiasm for this exciting new series and the way it grows over the
coming months and years.
Categories
Alasdair Gray 
