Your enthusiasm is contagious, and all sorts of great paths are just waiting to be. May 21, 2019 i have rarely been so affected by a book and reading about the life of stuart shorter was a terrifying experience. Masters, alexander 2011, the genius in my basement, harper collins ome, isbn 9780007445271. Stuart is akin to a horrific train wreck that you can not tear your eyes away from. In this extraordinary book, alexander masters presents a moving portrait of a troubled man, an unlikely friendship, and the. I feel so strongly about this strange, funny, sad book that i hardly know where to begin. Masters, an advocate for the homeless, befriended stuartsomeone for whom cause. A life backwards by alexander masters books library.
Dec, 2015 enyearold boy who was stuart before his long, sprawling, dangerous fall. The main characters of this non fiction, biography story are. I have rarely been so affected by a book and reading about the life of stuart shorter was a terrifying experience. In this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a moving portrait of a troubled man, an unlikely friendship, a.
In this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a moving portrait of a troubled man, an unlikely friendship, and a desperate world few ever see. A life backwards is a remarkable account of a free fall into the state that british social workers label chaotic homelessness. Stuart, a life backwards is both touching and funny. See all books authored by alexander masters, including stuart. This brilliant biography, winner of the guardian first book award, presents a humbling portrait of homeless life, and is as extraordinary and unexpected as the man it describes. A life backwards expanded the possibilities of what a biography could be. Alexander masters has been portrayed by benedict cumberbatch in stuart. Stuart was homeless, with many of the problems this subsection of english society. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlightingnotes, may not include cds or access codes. Id seen the film and absolutley loved it thanks to benedict cumberbatch and tom hardy.
Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible. Jun 09, 2006 stuart clive shorter, the subject of this remarkable biography, was a homeless man whom alexander masters, a former physics student, met in 1998 in cambridge, england. Discover audiobooks audible originals best sellers. Jan 02, 2006 stuart, a life backwards, is the story of a remarkable friendship between a reclusive writer and illustrator a middle class scum ponce, if you want to be honest about it, alexander and a chaotic, knifewielding beggar whom he gets to know during a campaign to release two charity workers from prison. A life backwards, by alexander masters, a portrait of a. Shocking, inspiring, and hilarious by turns, stuart. A life backwards is a writers quest to give voice to a man who, beneath his forbidding exterior, has a message for us all. Books like these are eyeopeners and rattle consciences.
Yet the stuart depicted in this book was also a man with a fierce sense of justice and. In a life backwards, stuart gradually takes the author alexander masters and the reader back in time and shows how his life experiences as a child and young adult shaped him into becoming the person that alexander sees which is an unstable adult who eventually looses his life. The first edition of the novel was published in 2005, and was written by alexander masters. Masters takes the reader backwards through stuarts life, exposing events as the occurred, then revealing events that laid the groundwork prior to them. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us.
In this remarkable book, a masterful act of biographical restoration, alexander masters retraces stuart s troubled journey. A life backwards is a biography by alexander masters of his friend stuart. A gripping whodoneit journey back in time, it begins with masters meeting a drunken stuart lying on a sidewalk in cambridge, england, and. Pdf stuart a life backwards by alexander masters download. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. World of books sells used books online to over 190 countries worldwide. A life backwards, by alexander masters, a portrait. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 300 pages and is available in hardcover format. A life backwards, and the best american nonrequired reading 2018, and more on. In this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a moving portrait of a troubled man, an unlikely friendship. He led, as he said, a very controversial, unpleasant life. A life backwards was universally loved by the reading groups stuart does not like the manuscript. A life backwards, by alexander masters the independent.
Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. With a keen writers eye, a gift for narrative and a friendship that lasted only four years, masters recounts the life of stuart clive shorter whose untimely death in 2002 inspired this work. In this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a moving portrait of a troubled man, an unlikely friendship, and a. Soon after alexander masters got to know stuart shorter. Masters takes the reader backwards through stuart s life, exposing events as the occurred, then revealing events that laid the groundwork prior to them. A life backwards by alexander masters librarything.
Alongside this alexander looks backwards over stuarts adult life and childhood to try and discover what went wrong with his life. In this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a moving portrait of a. It won masters critical praise and a television movie. A life backwards 1st harper perennial edition by alexander masters isbn. Stuart clive shorter, the subject of this remarkable biography, was a homeless man whom alexander masters, a former physics student, met in 1998 in cambridge, england. Terrifying because, written backwards as it is, i knew i was coming closer with every page to some kind of explanation for what happened to stuart in his early life. We only recommend classic and bestselling resources as well as educational links for you to study. Stuart life backwards by alexander masters abebooks.
A life backwards by alexander masters and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. He is the son of authors dexter masters and joan brady. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Masters is able to show us the real person behind the homeless and chaotic life and he does so in a way that the story reads somewhat like a thriller with clues being thrown out gradually until the whole picture becomes clear. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading stuart. A life backwards kindle edition by alexander masters. A whodunit journey back in time, it begins with masters meeting a drunken stuart lying on a sidewalk in cambridge, england, and leads through layers of hell. Stuart shorters brief life was one of turmoil and chaos. In this remarkable book, a masterful act of biographical restoration, alexander masters retraces stuarts troubled journey. A life backwards, by alexander masters, a portrait of a homeless man stuart clive shorter, the subject of this remarkable biography, was a homeless man whom alexander masters, a former. A life backwards, published in 2005, masters set out to.
Racing through the proof copy, i took it at first to be a blackly comic novel. And a lot has gone wrong with stuarts life, from gluesniffing, to drug addiction and alcoholism, from minor crime to car theft, robbery, violence and possible charges of. All of our paper waste is recycled within the uk and turned into corrugated cardboard. Like an archeologist peeling back layer after layer of cultural sediment and fossilized civilizations, masters removes the grimy layers of stuart one anecdote at a time. Stuart a life backwards by alexander masters world of books. Alongside this alexander looks backwards over stuart s adult life and childhood to try and discover what went wrong with his life. Told backwards stuarts idea it starts with a deeply troubled thirtytwoyearold and ends with a happygolucky little boy of twelve.
In this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a. A life backwards by alexander masters harpercollins. Stuart life backwards abebooks shop for books, art. A life backwards by alexander masters available from rakuten kobo. I feel so strongly about this strange, funny, sad book that i hardly. Here are some of the best resources you can use for blogging, global culture and philosophy. Stuart, a life backwards, is the story of a remarkable friendship between a reclusive writer and illustrator a middle class scum ponce, if you want to be honest about it, alexander and a chaotic, knifewielding beggar whom he gets to know during a. Alexander masters audio books, best sellers, author bio. Browse alexander masterss bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. A life backwards is a remarkable account of a free fall into the state. Through the pale tesco stripes of his supermarket bag i can see the. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it.
A life backwards, by alexander masters the new york. Stuart, the focus of alexander masters book, is as enigmatic and polarizing as real people tend to get. A life backwards, the 2007 bbc dramatization of his biography of stuart shorter. Welcome,you are looking at books for reading, the stuart a life backwards, you will able to read or download in pdf or epub books and notice some of author may have lock the live reading for some of country. A gripping whodoneit journey back in time, it begins. A gripping whodoneit journey back in time, it begins with masters meeting a drunken stuart lying on a sidewalk in cambridge, england, and leads through layers of hellback through crimes and misdemeanors, prison and homelessness, suicide. Stuart was homeless, with many of the problems this subsection of english society display. A life backwards, the new book by alexander masters, deserves every accolade that can be awarded. A life backwards in this extraordinary book, alexander masters has created a moving portrait of a troubled man, an unlikely friendship, and a desperate world few ever see.
A life backwards by alexander masters when i found out that this was one of the 25 books i had won from booka i was really excited. It explores how a young boy, somewhat disabled from birth, became mentally unstable, criminal and violent, living homeless on the streets of cambridge. And a lot has gone wrong with stuart s life, from gluesniffing, to drug addiction and alcoholism, from minor crime to car theft, robbery, violence and possible charges of attempted murder. A life backwards is a biography by alexander masters of his friend stuart clive shorter, formerly, at various times, a prisoner and a career criminal.