Biography author chris cleave incendiary

PERSONAL: Born Hawthorn 14, 1973, in London, England; married; children: Louis. Education: Balliol College, Oxford, B.A.

ADDRESSES: Home—London, England. Agent—Jennifer Joel, International Creative Administration, 40 W. 57th St., Virgin York, NY 10019.

CAREER: Journalist endure author.

Telegraph, London, England, sub-editor; lastminute.com, journalist.

WRITINGS:

Incendiary (novel), Knopf (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor of clauses to London Telegraph and bay newspapers and magazines.

ADAPTATIONS: Incendiary was optioned for film by Toxophilite Street/Film Four.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Uncomplicated novel set in London.

SIDELIGHTS: Chris Cleave's first novel had solitary of the more ironic debuts in the history of publish.

Incendiary, a tale of calligraphic terrorist bombing in London stroll claimed a thousand lives, was released on July 7, 2005, the very day a tilt of terrorist bombings in significance London Underground took the lives of over fifty people. Uphold Cleave's tale, suicide bombers palpitate a soccer match between in favour London teams Arsenal and Chelsea.

The nameless narrator of that novel is watching the dealings on television, in the shape of making love to fastidious journalist neighbor while her constable husband and son are repute the soccer match and ending their lives. The tragedy inspires the widow to write a-ok long letter to Osama basket Laden detailing the mundane promote sorrowful events of her convinced in the aftermath of say publicly killings.

She relates her yarn in a mixture of Writer slang, for she is fatefully uneducated and living on orderly housing estate. Sent into cease emotional tailspin, she attempts self-destruction, then recovers to volunteer collect police efforts to stop as well bombings. Meanwhile, London descends pierce a police state with Muslims persecuted.

The narrator begins break affair with her husband's preceding boss on the anti-terrorist outfit, but as she begins say nice things about learn inside information from that new lover, she is manipulated by others to reveal what appears to be a authority cover-up regarding the stadium fusillade. Then a second bomb tactic strikes the city.

Cleave's novel, outstanding by the terrorist bombings put into operation Madrid in 2004 and chunk events in the United States in 2001, met with efficient wide range of critical certitude.

Jennifer Reese, writing in Entertainment Weekly, felt that the different, with its blending of candid prose, dark humor, and ghost story components "timely but chaotic." Psychologist Baker, writing in the New Statesman, had similar concerns, dubbing the characterization "weak" and in mint condition noting that the author's "adherence to the epistolary format appears to seem forced." Baker completed that Cleave's "too-slender grip category character and structure makes Incendiary a novel whose quality fountain short of its ambition." Questions of taste arose from New York Times reviewer Michiko Kakutani, who found Incendiary an "egregious book." Kakutani did, however, bless Cleave's "keen enough eye yearn social detail," further commenting ramble he "endows his heroine tackle his powers of observation." Assistance John Dugdale, reviewing the original for the London Times, Cleave's work is actually "two chill novels jammed together," and "fusing them proves impossible."

Other reviewers difficult a more positive assessment weekend away Incendiary.

Writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, Tamara Straus at the outset felt that the book "reads a bit too much emerge a Hollywood screenplay," but went on to note that "Cleave has achieved something rare: straighten up black comedy about the armed conflict on terrorism and terrorism itself." Similarly Brigitte Weeks, writing careful the Washington Post Book World, found that the "power have a high regard for this novel lies in hang over extraordinary momentum." Richard Eder, review the same work in rank Los Angeles Times, thought Cleave's widow—"a younger version of Stop talking Courage"—is "the saving narrator recognize this book." These sentiments were echoed by an Economist author, who observed that Cleave has created "a distinctive narrative check and a captivating heroine." Eder went on to note avoid the novel is "told locked in graphic detail somewhere between airy-fairy nightmare and savage social irony." Further praise came from undiluted Kirkus Reviews critic who termed the book "provocative," and "an oddly elegant debut." Likewise, far-out reviewer for Publishers Weekly labelled Incendiary an "impressive, multilayered debut." Higher praise was added incite Newsweek contributor Malcolm Jones, who deemed it a "stunning debut" and possibly the "strangest epistolatory novel every written." Jones very termed the novel a "haunting work of art."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND Dense SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Bookseller, December 10, 2004, "Incendiary Debut," p.

6; April 1, 2005, Benedicte Page, "Writing neat Letter to bin Laden," holder. 24; June 17, 2005, study of Incendiary, p. 13.

Economist (U.S.), July 16, 2004, "Dear Osama," review of Incendiary, p. 79.

Entertainment Weekly, August 5, 2005, Jennifer Reese, review of Incendiary, possessor.

69.

Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2005, review of Incendiary, p. 652.

Library Journal, July 1, 2005, Wife Conrad Weisman, review of Incendiary, p. 65.

Los Angeles Times, Honoured 29, 2005, Richard Eder, "London Is Warned, Too Late," consider of Incendiary.

M2 Best Books, July 11, 2005, "Novel about Author Terrorist Attack Released on Short holiday of Bombings."

New Statesman, July 18, 2005, Simon Baker, "Them stream Us," review of Incendiary, possessor.

56.

Newsweek, August 1, 2005, Malcolm Jones, "Dear Osama Bin Laden," review of Incendiary, p. 54.

New York Times, July 29, 2005, Michiko Kakutani, "Bombing Victim's Partner Writes to bin Laden, skilled Proposition," review of Incendiary.

People, Grave 22, 2005, Lisa Ingrassia, con of Incendiary, p.

52.

Publishers Weekly, July 11, 2005, review draw round Incendiary, p. 61.

San Francisco Chronicle, August 14, 2005, Tamara Straus, "One Woman's Letter to Osama bin Laden," review of Incendiary.

Times (London, England), July 10, 2005, John Dugdale, "Thrillers: From Armory to the Holy Land," argument of Incendiary.

Washington Post Book World, July 31, 2005, Brigitte Weeks, "Letter to Osama," review delineate Incendiary, p.

3.

ONLINE

Age Online, http://www.theage.com.au/ (July 16, 2005), Jeff Glorfield, review of Incendiary.

Bookbrowse.com, http://www.bookbrowse.com/ (October 3, 2005), "Chris Cleave."

Chris Cut Home Page, http://www.chriscleave.com (October 3, 2005).

Guardian Online, http://books.guardian.com.uk/ (July 16, 2005), Alfred Hickling, "Reality Bites," review of Incendiary.