Iain banks meets james naughtie and readers at the national library of scotland in edinburgh to talk about his debut novel the wasp factory, first published in 1984. Iain banks 16 february 1954 9 june 20 was a scottish author. The wasp factory isnt my favourite book from a novelist who has been amongst my favourite authors for over 15. Im not sure whether i liked it or not, im not sure anything. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Banks decided to try a more mainstream novel in the hopes that it would be more readily accepted, and wrote about a. Before the publication of the wasp factory, banks had written several science fiction novels that had not been accepted for publication. He wrote mainstream fiction under the name iain banks and science fiction as iain m. Two years after i killed blyth i murdered my young brother paul, for quite different reasons than id disposed of blyth, and then a year after that i did for my young.
Its a good little book, just dont make any strong judgements with it. Having previously read and enjoyed the crow road and raw spirit, and having watched and read tributes to. Named one of the top 100 novels of the century by the independent, the wasp factory is a bizarre, imaginative, disturb. The narrator is peter kenny, an actor and singer who has. Download the wasp factory, free, via the independent and. First published back in february of 1984 by macmillian, the wasp factory introduced scottish author iain banks to the world, with this shockingly controversial debut novel. The wasp factory peter kennys soft spoken and convincing narrative draws the listener into the strange world of the teenage frank who lives on the edge of a small community in scotland. Read the wasp factory the stunning and controversial literary debut novel by iain banks available from rakuten kobo.
The wasp factory ebook by iain banks 9780748109951. The wasp factory is a work of horrifying compulsion. Frank lives life with a strong sense of rhythm and ritual, which is interrupted by the imminent return of an elder brother. The wasp factory is the first novel by scottish author, iain banks, and has been listed as one of the top 100 novels of the century by the independent. Listen to the wasp factory the stunning and controversial literary debut novel by iain banks available from rakuten kobo.
The narrator is peter kenny, an actor and singer who has worked. Two years after i killed blyth i murdered my young brother paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than id disposed. World book club archive featuring past programmes with some of the worlds top authors. It would be incredible to be able to read all of banks again for the first time. For a previously unknown author, banks created quite a stir with this first publication. After the publication and success of the wasp factory 1984. A brand new audio adaptation of iain banks careerlaunching debut novel, the wasp factory, is available now on cd audiobook from hachette audio.
Raised on merseyside he gained a bahons in drama from the university of hull. Having previously read and enjoyed the crow road and raw spirit, and having watched and read. The book has appeared on a number of greatest horror lists and in a poll was even named one of the top 100 novels of the century. I picked up the wasp factory mostly because of the author iain banks, who wrote some of my favorite scifi. His first science fiction book, consider phlebas, was released in 1987, marking the start of the popular culture series. Barbour the wasp factory, by iain banks, has garnered many accolades since its initial release in 1984. Named one of the top 100 novels of the century by the independent, the. He used this as his pen name for science fiction and goes by iain banks for some of his books. Peter kenny is a brilliant choice of reader and his range of scottish accents provides the perfect backdrop for iain banks story of misspent youth colliding with chaotic present.
Available on kindle ebook and can be read on any device with the free kindle app. At last, only 24 years after it was first published, ive finally got. Nov 10, 2011 iain banks meets james naughtie and readers at the national library of scotland in edinburgh to talk about his debut novel the wasp factory, first published in 1984. Cauldhame is the second child of angus cauldhame, a somewhat reclusive doctor living on a firth island by the scottish coast. Jul 11, 2008 iain banks speaks to john mullan about his novel the wasp factory and takes questions from the audience at the guardian book club podcast published. Iain banks 195420 was a scottish author considered one of the most powerful, innovative, and exciting writers of his generation. He came to widespread public notice in 1984 with the publication of his first novel, the wasp factory. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. It is a short read or listen, but it has something about it that demands you only nibble at it and chew on each little mouthful to savour the taste. Buy the wasp factory by iain banks online at alibris. Banks this summer, to read more about the imaginative worlds which lived in this talented and inspiring authors mind.
According to banks, this allowed him to treat the story as something resembling science fiction. Following the publication and success of the wasp factory in 1984, he began to write full time. He went on to gain enormous and popular critical acclaim with further works of fiction and science fict. Banks was born on february 16, 1954 in fife, scotland. Iain banks on how practising with sf led to the wasp factory. Iain banks the wasp factory listen to iain banks first broadcast march 2007. Jul 18, 2008 iain banks speaks to john mullan about his novel the wasp factory and takes questions from the audience at the guardian book club. Banks books in order of publication and in chronological order. Jun 21, 20 bankss writing skills are impressive, and reading the wasp factory has encouraged me to try and get my hands on some of his science fiction written as iain m. Im not sure whether i liked it or not, im not sure anything happened, i might be too dumb to get it. The wasp factory by iain banks overall, i loved this book. Oct 08, 20 the wasp factory was written almost 30 years ago by iain banks, who sadly died in 20. The wasp factory is a bizarre, imaginative, disturbing, and darkly comic look into the mind of a child psychopath one of the most infamous of contemporary scottish novels.
Peter kenny is a voiceover artist actor, singer and designer living in south west london. The wasp factory is actually fairly weak compared to his other stuff. Wasp factory as a commercial recording twelve years later for iain banks. He gained enormous popular and critical acclaim for both his mainstream and his science fiction novels. Banks decided to try a more mainstream novel in the hopes that it would be more readily accepted, and wrote about a psychopathic teenager living on a remote scottish island. The wasp factory by iain banks, 9780349101774, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The wasp factory was written almost 30 years ago by iain banks, who sadly died in 20. Iain banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, the wasp factory, in 1984.
A novel of extraordinary originality, imagination and comic ferocity. Iain banks speaks to john mullan about his novel the wasp factory and takes questions from the audience at the guardian book club podcast published. Sep 04, 2008 iain banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, the wasp factory, in 1984. Iain banks debut novel, the wasp factory, caused a storm of controversy when it was first published in 1984 and became an immediate classic. Review of the wasp factory by iain banks navigating the. Peter kenny is a brilliant choice of reader and his range of scottish accents provides the. The wasp factory iain banks 1001 books to read before. Two years after i killed blyth, i murdered my young brother paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than id disposed of blyth, and then a year after that i.
Banks, including the initial of his adopted middle name menzies. In the ceremony i smeared the metal, rubber and plastic of the new device with earwax, snot, blood, urine, bellybutton fluff and toenail cheese, christened it by firing the empty sling at a wingless wasp crawling on the face of the factory, and also fired it at my bared foot, raising a bruise. Written by iain banks, audiobook narrated by peter kenny. Since that time, he has split his time between his culture books the series started in 87 and standalone novels such as stonemouth. See more ideas about novels, science fiction books and fiction. He gained enormous popular and critical acclaim for both. The wasp factory audiobook by iain banks 9781405503563. Having previously read and enjoyed the crow road and raw spirit, and having watched and read tributes to him at the time of his death, i wanted to read his first novel. Iain banks speaks to john mullan about his novel the wasp factory and takes questions from the audience at the guardian book club.
The wasp factory is the first novel by scottish writer iain banks, published in 1984. He wrote mainstream fiction under the name iain banks and science. It is a short read or listen, but it has something about it that demands you only nibble at it and chew on each little mouthful to savour the. Iain banks 1984 the wasp factory audiobook youtube. A near fine copy in wrappers in a very good plus proof dust jacket that has some minor wear. Publication date 1990 topics modern fiction, fiction, murderers, fiction in english, 1945 texts. Banks made his debut as a published author with the wasp factory in 1984. In the ceremony i smeared the metal, rubber and plastic of the new device with earwax, snot, blood, urine, bellybutton fluff and toenail cheese, christened it by firing the empty sling at a wingless wasp crawling. I didnt know what to expect, but it certainly wasnt that.