My Account
Log in Registration
All
Cart
Highlights
Fiction Books
Non-Fiction Books
Children's Books
Rare Books
Music
DVD & Blu-Ray
Video Games
Category
Wishlists
Cart
All
Free Shipping in Australia
Trustpilot
Proud to be B-Corp

The Art of the Body Alex Allison

The Art of the Body By Alex Allison

The Art of the Body by Alex Allison

Reviews:
$17.19
Condition - Very Good
Only 3 left
Very Good$17.19Good$17.19New$36.79

Summary

A fascinating debut from Alex Allison that questions what it means to be 'able' and the relationship between art and body.

The Art of the Body Summary

The Art of the Body by Alex Allison

'A bold, unflinching debut' GUARDIAN

'Brutal, tender, philosophical, visceral, complex and so well written' EMMA JANE UNSWORTH

Maintaining one person's dignity comes nearly always at the expense of someone else's. I have learned this for you.

Janet is caught between care work and caring for herself. Her life revolves around Sean, a talented fine art student, living and working with cerebral palsy. Both Janet and Sean are new to London and far from their families. Both are finding a means of escape through pushing their bodies to the limit.

When Sean is faced with an unexpected and deeply personal tragedy, Janet must let her guard down at last and discover what she's prepared to fight for.

The Art of the Body is a novel about dignity and intimacy, tenderness and brutality, unafraid to explore uncommon bodies in unusual ways.

'Raw and powerful' IMAGE

The Art of the Body Reviews

This isn't an easy read, but it is raw and powerful . . . An uncompromising look at what it means to be 'able' in life * Image *
Beyond describing in vivid detail Sean's disability, Allison uses it to pave new literary ground, making use of unusual figures of speech that allow the reader access to another way of looking at the world . . . The Art of the Body offers the reader a multi-layered exploration of the able and disabled body. Through the experiences of Janet, who shares with us her enthusiasm and disappointment, love and loss, care for others and self-loathing, we discover the possibilities a disabled body offers, which is far from incomplete or needing to be fixed. Allison's talent transforms it all into a tale worth reading * The Northern Review *
[A ] bold, unflinching debut . . . Finely written and thoughtfully devised, this is also a disquieting and unsettling read about the balance of power, cruelty and compassion . . . Allison writes unobtrusively, setting up illuminating parallels and gently guiding the reader to unexpected understanding * Guardian *
What a brilliant book! I tore through it. Brutal, tender, philosophical, visceral, complex and so well written. A deft exploration of two entwined lives that is deeply moving without ever being sentimental. The character of Janet is incredible. I have never encountered anyone like her, and yet she was utterly believable. This is one of those books that sneaks under your skin and expands you. Sheer brilliance -- Emma Jane Unsworth

About Alex Allison

Alexander Allison was born and raised in London. He holds a BA in Art History from University of York, and an MA in Creative Writing from University of Manchester's Centre for New Writing. His work has been published by Civil Coping Mechanisms, The Red Ceilings Press, Popshot, Willow Springs, and Artifice Magazine among others. He can be found on Twitter at @alex_j_allison where he mostly posts about AFC Wimbledon and his poor luck at poker.

Additional information

GOR010076381
9780349700786
0349700788
The Art of the Body by Alex Allison
Alex Allison
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Dialogue
20190905
272
Winner of Somerset Maugham Awards 2020 (UK) Long-listed for Desmond Elliott Prize 2020 (UK)
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - The Art of the Body