J. G. Ballard

From the author of Crash and Cocaine Nights comes an unnerving tale of life in a modern tower block running out of control. Within the concealing walls of an elegant forty-storey tower block, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on 'enemy' floors and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for riots and technological mayhem. In this visionary tale of urban disillusionment society slips into a violent reverse as the isolated inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, create a dystopian world ruled by the laws of the jungle. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard's works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Iain Sinclair, Ali Smith, Neil Gaiman and Martin Amis) and brand-new cover designs.

High-rise

Sarah Christine Gill

Picking up his chromium cane, Royal left the dining room, a single candle in its silver stick lighting his way. As he stumbled over the black plastic bags he wondered why they had never heaved them over the side. Presumably they held this rubbish to themselves less from fear of attracting the attention of the outside world than from a need to cling to their own, surround themselves with the mucilage of unfinished meals, bloody bandage scraps, broken bottles that once held the wine that made them drunk, all faintly visible through the semi-opaque plastic. 

I often think about this sentence. Surely one of the most opening lines in modern literature. 

Later, as he sat on his balcony eating the dog, Dr Robert Laing reflected on the unusual events that had taken place within this huge apartnent building during the previous three months. 

Coming in March 2016 from acclaimed director Ben Wheatley, a major motion picture adaptation of J. G. Ballard’s compelling and unnerving tale of what happens when life in a luxury apartment building descends into chaos, starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss.

High-Rise

"Togetherness is beating up an empty elevator."

"Dr. Robert Laing is sitting on the balcony of his apartment on the 25th floor of the high-rise, contemplatively eating a dog while thinking about the absurd and sinister events befallen on the inhabitants of the tower."

This is the start of the cult 1970’s novel about a dystopia told in the scale of an apartment building filled with white-collar professionals. As the critical services, infrastructure and amenities of the luxurious building start to fail, passive-aggressive tensions among the residents eventually rise, escalating to violence and mayhem.

Almost like a Lord of Flies turn of events, the self-declared elites and the upper class society inevitably spiral down into uncivilised chaos, where the top and lower floors battle for dominance on the battleground of the middle floors.

Filled with humorous critiques of society, this is certainly an interesting read in a world where new luxurious high-rise residence complexes tower at alarming speeds everywhere.

Cassie B

Dr. Robert Laing lives in a "high rise" housing complex that offers its residents state-of-the-art technology that caters to domestic bliss. But--paradoxically--this array of high-tech innovation is responsible for a new kind of violence. "Reminiscent of Lord of the Flies".--The New York Times.

Olivera Mitić

Elize van Heerden

Listened to the audiobook read by Tom Hiddleston, will leave a review when I can get my thoughts together

Jacob Reader

里森

Izzy Huddleston

Maurice FitzGerald

Daniel Fernández

Caroline Oestergaard

Now a major film: J. G. Ballard s compelling and unnerving tale of what happens when life in a luxury apartment building descends into chaos. Later, as he sat on his balcony eating the dog, Dr Robert Laing reflected on the unusual events that had taken place within this huge apartment building during the previous three months. Within the walls of an elegant forty-storey high-rise, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on enemy floors, and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for mayhem. In this visionary novel, the veneer of civilised society is stripped away as the inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, create a dystopian world ruled by intimidation and violence. And no one wants it to stop "

High-rise

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