
A Preparation for Death
Greg Baxter(Author)
Penguin Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 7. April 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-0-14-104844-4 (ISBN)
Description
'Traditional autobiography is composed after the experience has passed. I wrote this book in the very panic of the experiences that inspired it ... '
In his early thirties, Greg Baxter found himself in a strange place. He hated his job, he was drinking excessively, he was sabotaging his most important relationships, and he was no longer doing the thing he cared about most: writing. Strangest of all, at this time he started teaching evening classes in creative writing - and his life changed utterly.
A Preparation for Death is a document of the chaos and discovery of that time and of the experiences that led Greg Baxter to that strange place - an extraordinarily intimate account of literary failure (and its consequences), personal decay, and redemption through reading, writing, and truth-telling. Studded with vivid, loving portraits of the people closest to him - his Austrian grandmother, who narrowly survived the Second World War; his mother and father, both described with heartbreakingly close attention; and his cousin Walter, whose own demons provide a striking counterpoint to the author's - it is above all a stunningly vivid and searching self-portrait: possibly the most honest book you'll ever read.
In his early thirties, Greg Baxter found himself in a strange place. He hated his job, he was drinking excessively, he was sabotaging his most important relationships, and he was no longer doing the thing he cared about most: writing. Strangest of all, at this time he started teaching evening classes in creative writing - and his life changed utterly.
A Preparation for Death is a document of the chaos and discovery of that time and of the experiences that led Greg Baxter to that strange place - an extraordinarily intimate account of literary failure (and its consequences), personal decay, and redemption through reading, writing, and truth-telling. Studded with vivid, loving portraits of the people closest to him - his Austrian grandmother, who narrowly survived the Second World War; his mother and father, both described with heartbreakingly close attention; and his cousin Walter, whose own demons provide a striking counterpoint to the author's - it is above all a stunningly vivid and searching self-portrait: possibly the most honest book you'll ever read.
Reviews / Votes
Brilliant and wonderfully original ... Yes, this is a book about drinking and shagging. But rarely have these things been written about so well -- William Leith * Literary Review * Baxter is a serious, thoughtful writer, bent on emotional truth and artistry. He has written an unusual, provocative book. -- Suzi Feay * Financial Times * The triumph is in the steely courage it takes to put a life down with such uncompromising clarity -- Hugo Hamilton * Irish Times * Baxter tells his story with a captivating and rare honesty * Sunday Times * Brave, honest and propulsive * Metro * A sustained and gripping meditation on art and authenticity. ... one of those books about almost nothing, that manage to be about almost everything -- James Lasdun * Guardian * Brilliant - he writes well about everything ... Could be a classic * Evening Standard *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
275 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-104844-4 (9780141048444)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Greg Baxter
A Preparation for Death
E-Book
07/2010
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€8.49
Available for download
Person
Greg Baxter was born in Texas in 1974. For the past ten years he has lived in Dublin, where he works as a journalist.