Continuing my jaunt around our fair isle, last week I was in Glasgow. If you’ve not been, go immediately. Edinburgh gets all the good reviews as the Athens of the North (& it is a great city – how many high streets can you stand on with a view of a castle and a dormant volcano?) but it does steal Glasgow’s thunder a bit. Glasgow is absolutely gorgeous and contrary to popular myth, the people are really friendly. I had a lovely time, and if Scotland manages to negotiate to stay in the EU I’ve a pretty good idea where I’ll be moving to.
To summarise in a way that helps no-one: because Edinburgh is Alec Baldwin, everyone thinks Glasgow is Stephen Baldwin, but it’s not, it’s William Baldwin. Glad I’ve been able to clear that up 😉 I’m now on a one-woman mission to persuade everyone of Glasgow’s greatness, starting here by looking at two novels by Glaswegian writers.
Firstly, Young Adam by Alexander Trocchi (1954), which tells the story of Joe, a young drifter working on the canals near Glasgow, who finds the dead body of a young woman floating in the water.
“She was like some beautiful white water-fungus, a strange shining thing come up from the depths, and her limbs and her flesh had the ripeness and maturity of a large mushroom. But it was the hair more than anything; it stranded away from the head like long grasses. Only it was alive, and because the body was slow, heavy, torpid, it had become a forest of antennae, caressing, feeding on the water, intricately.”
This odd, detached tone gives an excellent introduction to Joe. He is an outsider and views people with no affection. He manipulates to his own ends and does not care who he hurts.
“I derived a powerful sense, a vindication of my own existence. To exercise power without exerting it, to be detached and powerful, to be there, silent and indestructible as gods, that is to be a god and why there are gods.”
What saves Joe from being wholly despicable to me, is that he doesn’t deliberately set out to hurt people. He isn’t vindictive or malicious, he just has a total disregard for other’s feelings. He also has a desire for something more from life, but has no idea what it is, and so there is a desperate quality to him, even as it emerges that he may know more about the dead woman than he’s letting on.
“These men, whoever they were, would sleep with their wives, take their children for a picnic on Sundays […] there was something nightmarish about it- my nightmare, for the machine might include me in its intricate pattern-making at any moment.”
Young Adam has been compared to L’Etranger, and while it is not quite to the heights of Camus’ masterpiece, it has at its centre a man in existential crisis, and a narrative broadened out by philosophical considerations:
“There is no contradiction in things, only in the words we invent to refer to things. It is the word ‘I’ which is arbitrary and contains within it its own inadequacy and its own contradiction.”
Young Adam was made into a film in 2003, with a stunning cast – Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Peter Mullan and Emily Mortimer:
Secondly The Busconductor Hines by James Kelman (1984), which much to my surprise I found warmly affectionate and a good balance after the bleakness of Young Adam. I’d read & enjoyed the Booker prizewinning How Late It Was, How Late many years ago and for some reason hadn’t picked up Kelman since. The Busconductor Hines was Kelman’s first published novel and features his brilliant ear for Glaswegian dialect and conversational rhythms that he would go on to develop more fully.
Kelman is a controversial figure, because his vision is uncompromising. He is interested in capturing authentic working-class Glaswegian lives (which involves much swearing), and he does not make allowances for the reader: you have to meet him on his own terms. For me, a born-and-bred Southerner, I find this invigorating rather than alienating. The Busconductor Hines follows the titular character through his daily life, capturing the extraordinary amongst the ordinary.
“He was standing at the sink, whistling quietly, gazing through the slats in the blind; in the backcourt opposite the rear of the tenement building which was not yet demolished, the sky with that reddish glow, light reflecting on the ripples of the enormous puddle that stretched from the middens to the mouth of the back close; a smell of smouldering rubbish from somewhere, but vague.”
Hines is frustrated, always on the verge of being fired. This is very funny, but also enables Kelman to make some pointed comments about the wielding of power and authority. Like Joe in Young Adam Hines wants more, but unlike Joe he recognises his common humanity, even in the frustration of having to deal with the bus travellers of Glasgow.
“Hines can marvel. He can look at faces and not look at faces….They are hypocrites. The men and the women, the children. It is not that he knows this in particular but that everyone knows this and is also known to know it, by everyone else. Such a thing cannot be concealed. …In the windows he could see their reflections, the strange frowns every now and again. That concentration.”
In some ways nothing happens, but everything happens. Hines recognises his life as a “perplexing kettle of coconuts”, ridiculous but real and wholly his. I’ve seen it described as an existential novel and I suppose it is, but it’s so fun, written with such verve and bite, that ultimately it is life-affirming even while pointing out the poverty, injustice and pointlessness that fills a lot of daily life for the characters.
And of course the city itself is the second hero of the story, a constant, pervasive presence:
“Glasgow thoroughfares can be mysteriously still, the slightest breath of wind seeming not to exist. The smell of fresh tobacco on the nostrils first thing is an astonishing item.”
To end, there are a plethora of Glaswegian musicians I could have chosen, but I’ve picked Camera Obscura’s French Navy, because I like the brilliantly twenty-first century love lyric “You with your dietary restrictions/Said you loved me with a lot of conviction…”
Two great novels, but particularly Busconductor Hines. Kelman was such a breath of fresh air when that came out – truly inspiring. He latest novel, Dirt Road, is, I think, his best.
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That’s good to hear! Reading this did remind me how much I enjoy Kelman, I’ll have to get hold of Dirt Road for sure.
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I have a very secure place in my heart for Glasgow. I went there for a week with my older son when he was 18 months or so and we were so warmly welcomed, helped with the pushchair on and off buses, enjoyed every minute of our stay there. Just so different from ‘down south’. Plus lots of interesting museums and places to explore.
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That’s lovely to hear! My experience was also that the people were *so* friendly and welcoming . And yes, really culturally rich – I didn’t see half that I wanted to!
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That quote made me laugh out loud. I recall a kid arriving at my primary school, straight from Glasgow. I don’t think any of us understood a word he said for the first year. I also remember him getting sunburnt – even on ‘cloudy’ days 😦
Tilda Swinton is a chameleon – always so good, always surprising (did you see hr in We Need to Talk About Kevin?).
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The weather forecasters here frequently remind us that you can still get sunburnt on cloudy days! It must be a British trait 😉
Tilda Swinton is such a talented actor – her performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin was phenomenal!
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Well yes, it’s true that you can get burnt on cloudy days. Certainly in Australia (we’re closer to the hole in the ozone layer) it happens (hence our high rate of melanoma) – this poor kid would get sunburnt all year round – I think that was particular to his British skin!
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I will add those to my list, I miss Glesga! I lived hear-ish as a kid, and people really are lovely. I was there a few months ago staying with a friend, and even drunk people on the night bus thank the driver when they get off. I also think architecturally it’s overlooked when compared to Edinburgh, there’s a some really beautiful buildings, the university is particularly stunning.
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They are so lovely – the whole Glasgow Kiss reputation is totally undeserved! I couldn’t agree more about the architecture. When I arrived it was beautifully sunny and as I went through George Square it was just breathtaking.
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Two interesting sounding novels. My OH is a huge fan of the Young Adam film, but despite owning the book I’ve yet to read it. My favourite Glasgow novel has to be Lanark – love it!
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I’ve seen Young Adam but it was so long ago I’ve totally forgotten it. From looking at the trailer it seems a faithful adaptation so if you like the film I think you’ll like the book.
I’ve not read Lanark – I’ve added it to the list!
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What a great quote! 🙂
I haven’t heard of either of these books. I see that I’ll have to brush up on my knowledge of Glasgow!
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They’re both quick reads, but very evocative in such a short space!
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I’m glad you liked my city! I’m always annoyed at the bad press it gets – it’s no more violent or crime-ridden than many a city and more culturally rich than most but the large capitals of the world. This is why I rarely read books set there – the world of fiction writers seem to have decided to perpetuate a bleak image that changed in reality sometime in the late 70s. And yes, we pride ourselves on being friendly – in fact our slogan for a long time was “The Friendly City” – catchy, eh? – and Rough Guides declared us the friendliest city in the world! (I don’t actually work for the Glasgow Tourist Board, but I reckon I could… 😉 ) Now, I’m intrigued as to where Young Adam is set, since I live in “The Canal Capital of Scotland” – another catchy slogan, you must admit – Kirkintilloch, just outside Glasgow, and the Forth and Clyde canal runs past the side of my house…
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I *adored* your city! I’m not totally joking about considering a move! I completely agree with the Rough Guides people 🙂
I can understand not wanting to read books set there – it’s rare I see a London I recognise in books or films *sigh*
I’m not at home or I’d double check Young Adam for you – I can’t remember if he pinpoints exactly where the canal is – I’ll come back to you!
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I have visited Glasgow severs times, and yes, it’s worth visiting!
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Glad you liked it 🙂
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To my shame, I’ve only made it to Scotland once but Glasgow is on my list if only to see the Burrell Collection whose praises have been sung to me by several friends. Very much like the look of the Young Adam movie. I’d not come across it before.
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I didn’t make it to the Burrell Collection – I’ll add it to the list for my next visit!
I saw the Young Adam film ages ago & my memory is that it was good, but I’ve forgotten almost everything about it! Time for a re-watch, I think.
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I’ll watch Tilda Swinton in anything!
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Me too!
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The Burrell Collection is closed (since October 2016) for a re display. It is to re open in 2020.
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Thanks! I’m back in Glasgow in August so you’ve saved me some time! I’ll make a note for 3 years time 🙂
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I really loved this post, partly as I lived in Glasgow for 10 years and I do miss it, and also because I love James Kelman. I think he is the most gifted writer at evoking place.
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I’m so glad you liked it! I completely agree, Kelman is brilliant at creating a powerful sense of place.
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Scotland has been on my list of places I’d like to go for a long time, and it was hard to resist trying to add it when we got as far north as Haworth last time we were in England, but now I’m glad we resisted because we would have barely made it to Edinburgh for a day or less and would not have known about the importance of visiting Glasgow.
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Edinburgh and Glasgow are both great, and the Highlands are beautiful if you have time when you’re next over 🙂
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Thank you for two great recommendations! I live nearer Edinburgh than Glasgow, and admit my prejudice toward the capital. I’m putting these two books on my TBR list.
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Great! I really hope you enjoy them 🙂
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How wonderful. I’ve just discovered your blog and I couldn’t have stumbled on a better post. Glasgow is an amazing city and it is fabulous to find someone singing its praises, and not just about the city itself but about its literary heritage also. James Kelman is one of my faves.
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Thank you for stopping by and for such a lovely comment 🙂 I’m really glad you enjoyed the post. Glasgow is such a great city and I definitely want to catch up on the Kelman I’ve missed!
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thank you for two great(p) recommendations! Scotland has been on my tilt of places I’d like to go for a long time, and it was heavy to resist trying to impart it when we got as far north as Haworth net time we were in England, but now I’m glad we resisted because we would take barely made it to Edinburgh for a mean solar day or less and would not take known about the grandness of visiting Glasgow.
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Thanks for stopping by my blog! Edinburgh and Glasgow are both wonderful cities, beautiful and rich in culture. I hope you have time for both next time you visit 🙂
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