Discover the Penguin books that shaped us

The Gospel Singer

byHarry Crews

Format:

Paperback

Buy the book from:

AmazonOpens in a new tabBlackwellsOpens in a new tabBookshop.orgOpens in a new tabFoylesOpens in a new tabHiveOpens in a new tabWaterstonesOpens in a new tabWHSmithOpens in a new tab
The poor town of Enigma, Georgia awaits the return of its most famous son - the Gospel Singer. With the voice of an angel and, it is said, the touch of a healer, he is fresh from the cover of LIFE and the cheers of the Carnegie Hall crowd. And yet, for all his fame, something drives him back to his obscure past, to small-town idolization and half-forgotten deeds. There, before the crowds that have gathered at his feet, he will reveal the cruelty at the heart of his act ...

The Gospel Singer, Harry Crews' extraordinary debut novel, is at once a surreal investigation into the nature of the American South, as well as an intricate mediation on faith and its place in the community.

About Harry Crews

Harry Crews (1935-2012) was born during the Great Depression in rural Georgia, USA. He is the author of seventeen novels and a memoir, often revolving around poor and disenfranchised characters from the Deep South. Crews taught creative writing at the University of Florida for nearly thirty years, mentoring and inspiring a generation of writers and gaining the reputation of a literary outsider and outlaw with a singular voice in American fiction. He is today considered a pillar of the Southern Gothic tradition.
Details
  • Imprint: Penguin Classics
  • ISBN: 9780143135098
  • Length: 224 pages
  • Dimensions: 198mm x 16mm x 130mm
  • Weight: 180g
  • Price: £12.99