AA Gill is Away

by A.A. Gill

Book Overview

A. A. Gill is one of the most feared writers in London, noted--according to the New York Times--for his "rapier wit." Some even consider the mere assignment of a subject to Gill a hostile act. But... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743276671
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 305 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.0" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Still Gill - Still Great

For those familiar with Gill's writing in GQ and The Times, this book will be a pleasure anticipated and delivered. For those not familiar with Gill's writing but in search of the modern, English-language essayist this book is an introduction to an artist in the genre. Gill's peripatetic life is documented here and, while he often loves the places he visits, he's at his best when exasperated and furious. Despite all of that, Gill loves the people he meets (although he'd deny it vehemently) and it comes through in his writing. A vivid collection of memories from places I'll never visit but which now seem as real to me as my own backyard.

recommended in seattle

I was recently on a business trip to seattle and ended up at a bookstore with a large wall of recommended books. I was just finishing A Walk in the Woods, the first "travel" book I had read. It was so good, I caught the bug and set off to find other travel writers with irreverent styles and sharp wit and I found AA Gill. The book is geniously designed, concise, and well-written. I had not heard of AA Gill before and so these newspaper columns were all new to me and I picked through them one at a time glimpsing places from around the world like postcards. There is a - how to use this book - segment at the start following the foreward. I studied fiction writing for two years in graduate school and wish greatly that someone, anyone, would have assigned this book to me or at least recommended it. The how to use portion of the book holds secrets and insights into writing that some people might never discover but that any reader upon picking up this book can hold within a few minutes. Highly recommended.

one of the best writers around

This sorely underappreciated book needs to be read. This guy is one of the funniest and most illuminating writers around, worthy of the highest esteem.Fresh, intelligent and exciting work.His piercing, amusing perspectives stimulate emotions the way writing is intended to.