Alan Sillitoe Talk March 26, 2008

Alan Sillitoe was one of the angry young men of the 1950s. His gritty, realist portrayal of the working classes caused a stir in literary circles, breaking with sentimental depictions of days gone by. He came to attention with Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (1958), in which his philandering, factory worker antihero Arthur Seaton struggles to contain his disillusionment towards the hierarchical society of post-war Britain. "Don't let the bastards get you down," he says. The book became a bestseller and was turned into a film by Karel Reisz. It was followed by The Loneliness Of The Long-Distance Runner (1959), narrated by a rebellious Borstal boy, that won the Hawthornden Prize. In this talk celebrating the author's 80th birthday, Sillitoe will talk about his seminal works including novels such as A Start In Life (1970) -- republished to coincide with his birthday.
NB: this event is free but you must email [email protected] to reserve a ticket.

(via kultureflash.net)

Official Website: http://www.foyles.co.uk/events.asp?CUR=EUR#sill