The Information

About this book

There aren't many ways for one writer to hurt another. Even if the literary world were as hopelessly corrupt as some people like to think it is, a writer cannot seriously damage a rival. This is the unwelcome conclusion reached by Richard Tull, failed novelist, when he contemplates the agonizing success of his best friend (and worst enemy), Gwyn Barry. A scathing review, a scurrilous profile? Such things might hurt Gwyn Barry, but they wouldn't hurt him. So Richard Tull is obliged to look elsewhere, to the weapons of the outside world - seductions and succubae, hoaxes, mind games, frame-ups, sabotage - until at last Richard finds what he is looking for: a true professional, someone who hurts people in exchange for cash.

Themes & subjects

About the author

Martin Amis

1949 – 2023

Martin Louis Amis (25 August 1949 – 19 May 2023) was an English novelist, essayist, memoirist, screenwriter and critic. He is best known for his novels *Money* (1984) and *London Fields* (1989). He received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his memoir *Experience* and was twice listed for the Booker Prize (shortlisted in 1991 for *Time's Arrow* and longlisted in 2003 for *Yellow Dog).* Amis was a professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester's Centre for New Writing from 2007 until 2011. In 2008, *The Times* named him one of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.