J. G. Ballard was, for over fifty years, one of this country's most significant writers. Beginning with the events that inspired his classic novel, 'Empire of the Sun', this revelatory autobiography charts the course of his astonishing life.

'Miracles of Life' takes us from the vibrant surroundings of pre-war Shanghai, to the deprivations and unexpected freedoms of Lunghua Camp, to Ballard's arrival in a devastated Britain. Ballard recounts his first attempts at fiction and his part in the social and artistic revolutions of the 60s. He describes his friendships with figures as diverse as Kingsley Amis, Michael Moorcock and Eduardo Paolozzi alongside recollections of his domestic life in Shepperton - raising three children as a single father following the unexpected and premature death of his wife.

'Miracles of Life' is both a captivating narrative of the experiences that have shaped this extraordinary writer's works, his distinctive outlook and his original visions of the future, and is also an account of a remarkable life.

This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard's works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Ali Smith, Hari Kunzru, Neil Gaiman and Martin Amis) and brand-new cover designs.

About the Author

J. G. Ballard was born in 1930 in Shanghai. After internment in a civilian prison camp, his family returned to England in 1946. His 1984 bestseller 'Empire of the Sun' won the Guardian Fiction Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. His controversial novel 'Crash' was made into a film by David Cronenberg. His autobiography 'Miracles of Life' was published in 2008, and a collection of interviews with the author, 'Extreme Metaphors', was published in 2012. J. G. Ballard passed away in 2009.

Reviews

'Superb. Mr Ballard, you are wonderful' Sunday Times

'Exquisitely written ... 'Miracles of Life', a subtle, restlessly enquiring work of touching humanity, is Ballard's crowning achievement' Financial Times

'Brief, modest and occasionally shattering, in a way that elevates it to a level of greatness' Observer

'A jewel. As a writer, he can simply take the breath away' Independent

Awards
Short-listed for Galaxy British Book Awards: Tesco Biography of the Year 2009.



Book Information
ISBN 9780007272341
Author J. G. Ballard
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Fourth Estate Ltd
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 280g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 23mm