Thrust into the seedy underworld of hack reporters and Soho drinking dens, young Richard Hermes is skidding down a cocaine slope of self-destruction in pursuit of the impossibly beautiful socialite-cum-columnist Ursula Bentley. But between Richard and his object of desire stands his omnipresent neme[...]

When the young Ian Wharton first meets Mr Broadhurst, he is completely unaware of the influence he will come to exert over his life as 'The Fat Controller' - a constant companion and confidant and also the obese, erudite manifestation of Ian's mental illness. As Ian's idea of fun becomes increasingl[...]

The fictional world of Will Self is unlike any other. In The Quantity Theory of Insanity, we learn, amongst other things, the dark and terrible secret of Ward 9, why you are right to think that London is full of dead people and that each and every human being is caught up in a colossal balancing act[...]

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2012 For half a century Audrey Death has been in a state of semi-consciousness. Severed from the world of the living after falling victim to Encephalitis lethargica, she has languished in Friern Barnet Mental Hospital. Then, in 1971, maverick psychiatrist Dr Zack[...]

Understanding Will Self introduces readers to the satire and expressive ingenuity of a British writer who has garnered an array of awards since the 1991 publication of his first short story collection, ""The Quantity Theory of Sanity"". In this guide to the well-received but largely unstudied writer[...]

The ghost of a beautiful young woman, Sylvie, hovers outside the window of Will Self's study. She is seeking to influence his latest novel, before she can rest in peace. Sylvie was a member of the WSC - a mysterious cult of charismatic writers who appear to worship Will Self. When Richard, a twenty-[...]

In a stunning collection of essays, poems and fiction, the top writers and thinkers from the UK and the USA explore what it means to live in a city today. Through backstreets, highways and homes, we find out what makes up the environments we live in. We look at the psychogeography and history of [...]

Why can't I control my anger? Or stop overeating? Or wasting time online?Why can't I seem to finish my projects? Or make progress in my spiritual life?Why do I fall for the same stupid temptations over and over again?When we fail, its easy to make excuses or blame our circumstances. But let's face i[...]

This book presents research that supports the naturalistic stance that the mind is identical to the brain. The author argues that if one were to look at the idea that the mind is the brain then it follows logically that free will must be an illusion, that there can be no consciousness separate from [...]