Name: Stuart: A Life Backwards
ISBN: 9780007374144

Alexander Masters

‘Stuart does not like the manuscript. He’s after a bestseller, “like what Tom Clancy writes”. “But you are not an assassin trying to frazzle the president with anthrax bombs,” I point out. You are an ex-homeless, ex-junkie psychopath, I do not add.’

Stuart: A Life Backwards

New Paperback Edition Of The Most Original And Captivating, Award-Nominated Memoir Of The Year. 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, Knife-Wielding Beggar Whom He Gets To Know During A Campaign To Release Two Charity Workers From Prison. Interwoven Into This Is Stuart S Confession: The Story Of His Life, Told Backwards. With Humour, Compassion (And Exasperation) Masters Slowly Works Back Through Post-Office Heists, Prison Riots And The Exact Day Stuart Discovered Violence, To Unfold The Reasons Why He Changed From A Happy-Go-Lucky Little Boy Into A Polydrug-Addicted-Alcoholic Jekyll And Hyde Personality, With A Fondness For What He Called Little Strips Of Silver (Knives To You And Me). Funny, Despairing, Brilliantly Written And Full Of Surprises: This Is The Most Original And Moving Biography Of Recent Years.

A Life Backwards

Stuart

Sian Wadey

Stuart: 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. I'd seen the film and absolutley loved it thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy. It hadn't taken me long to love Stuart. When I started the book I felt that same tone. Despite the potentially depressing subject matter I found myself smiling at what Stuart said and I was eager to read the next chapter. Unlike most biographies there was real humour and warmth. Normally I find they are simply the bare facts. The book is obviously more detailed than the film and the friendship between Alexander and Stuart really shines through. Masters does a brilliant job of making chaotic, homeless, violent, druggie Stuart likeable as well as someone you care about and would like to meet. Unfortunately the latter isn't possible. The only reason I gave it four rather than five was because I found the book lagged slightly in the middle before picking up again at the end.

Jehan Chawla

Tells the story of an unlikely friendship that develops between the author, a writer and illustrator, and Stuart Shorter, a chaotic, knife-wielding beggar whom he gets to know during a campaign to release two charity workers from prison. 75,000 first printing.

Stuart: A Life Backwards

Reviews

Highlights