Iain Sinclair, London Orbital: A Walk around the M25

Robert Bond (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.09: English Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary Britain , 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Gina Lyle (University of York), Graham MacPhee (University of Manchester), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Jenni Ramone (The Nottingham Trent University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 2002

Places

Wales (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Non-Fiction
- Autobiography (literary)
- Essay Collection
- Guidebooks / Travel writing

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Review essay:

It may appear that this autumn the London magi are entering battle over the Matter of England - the publication of Sinclair's London Orbital: A Walk around the M25 coincides with that of Peter Ackroyd's Albion . Two blockbusters, commercially astute colonizations of fresh territory. It is Ackroyd's London , however, to which London Orbital bears real relation. Sinclair's original title for the book was O(r)bituary Trances, but selling-power overcame the clever pun: the publisher's message is that London Orbital orbits, encircles, trumps London. Sinclair's new text presents itself as a magnum opus, a summation and completion of his work since 1999; in his acknowledgements Sinclair downgrades his earlier books Sorry Meniscus, Crash, Rodinsky's Room and Dark Lanthorns to the

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757 words

Citation: Bond, Robert. "London Orbital: A Walk around the M25". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 September 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=10513, accessed 24 November 2024.]

Iain Sinclair, London Orbital: A Walk around the M25

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