Grits (novel)
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First edition
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| Author | Niall Griffiths |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Matt Smith/PYMCA |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
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Publication date
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Feb 2000 |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 481 |
| ISBN | 0-224-05996-3 |
| Followed by | Sheepshagger |
Grits is the debut novel by British author Niall Griffiths, published in 2000 by Jonathan Cape. Set in and around Aberystwyth and concerning promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, and petty crime[1] it gained for its author, who lives and works in the town[2] the dubious honorific "the Welsh Irvine Welsh".[3] The novel is largely autobiographical, Niall Griffiths moved to Aberystwyth to research a PhD in post-war British poetry but soon became, as he puts it, an "enthusiastic participator in parties"[4] and dropped out of his studies.[5]
Ianto, a character briefly appearing in Grits became the anti-hero of Griffith's second novel Sheepshagger.[3]
Reception
From the rear of the 2001 Vintage Books edition :
- "When it comes to kick starting the literary millennium, Grits - difficult, disturbing and unforgetable - may well be the book to back" - Independent
- "Griffiths is undoubtedly a writer of talent. In the breadth of his huge, pulsing first novel, he captures the tedium of a life lived from one fix to the next" - Observer
- "If you liked Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting you'll love Grits - Daily Express
References
- ↑ Rear cover, 2001 Vintage Books edition, ISBN 0-09-9285177
- ↑ Niall Griffiths | British Council Literature
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Last exit to Aberystwyth, The Guardian, Saturday 3 February 2001
- ↑ Nee, Laura. "Grits". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 June 2008
- ↑ Retrieved 2014-03-28
