Crocodilia
Philip Ridley
Book Description
When eighteen-year-old Dominic meets his new neighbour, the sexy, green-haired, tattooed punk Billy Crow, it’s lust at first sight. And judging from their smouldering first encounter, Billy seems to feel the same way. But when Billy mentions a previous lover, Dominic demands to know all about him. And so a story starts to be told. A strange, fantastic story that begins to obsess Dominic more and more, until he finds himself wondering where that story ends . . . and his story begins.
Set in London’s East End in 1982, Philip Ridley’s novel is a masterwork of gay fiction with a glittering, labyrinthine narrative and a firework display of images – a house full of crocodiles, Elvis Presley in a gold Cadillac, a cinema bathed in green neon – not to mention sex scenes of such dizzying eroticism that they take the breath away.
In the years since its first publication in 1988, Crocodilia has become a cult classic, and for this new edition the author has expanded and developed the novel further, presenting it now – for the first time – as it was always intended. Already known as a visionary film director and one of the most original playwrights of his generation, with this new release Ridley confirms his place as one of our most innovative, distinctive, and dazzling novelists.
Philip Ridley
Book Description
When eighteen-year-old Dominic meets his new neighbour, the sexy, green-haired, tattooed punk Billy Crow, it’s lust at first sight. And judging from their smouldering first encounter, Billy seems to feel the same way. But when Billy mentions a previous lover, Dominic demands to know all about him. And so a story starts to be told. A strange, fantastic story that begins to obsess Dominic more and more, until he finds himself wondering where that story ends . . . and his story begins.
Set in London’s East End in 1982, Philip Ridley’s novel is a masterwork of gay fiction with a glittering, labyrinthine narrative and a firework display of images – a house full of crocodiles, Elvis Presley in a gold Cadillac, a cinema bathed in green neon – not to mention sex scenes of such dizzying eroticism that they take the breath away.
In the years since its first publication in 1988, Crocodilia has become a cult classic, and for this new edition the author has expanded and developed the novel further, presenting it now – for the first time – as it was always intended. Already known as a visionary film director and one of the most original playwrights of his generation, with this new release Ridley confirms his place as one of our most innovative, distinctive, and dazzling novelists.
reviews
'Startling . . . a beautifully conceived flight of the imagination.' – Time Out
‘Philip Ridley’s stories compel attention.’ - The Times (London)
‘Ridley is a visionary.’ - Rolling Stone
‘Philip Ridley’s stories compel attention.’ - The Times (London)
‘Ridley is a visionary.’ - Rolling Stone
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BOOK DETAILS
ISBN: 1-94840592X ISBN-13: 978-1948405928 $29.99 US, 292 pp. Hardcover Published 2021 BOOK DETAILS
ISBN: 1-948405938 ISBN-13: 978-1948405935 $17.99 US, 292 pp. Trade paper Published 2021 |
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Author biography:
Philip Ridley was born in the East End of London. He studied painting at St Martin’s School of Art. As well as three books for adults—and the highly acclaimed screenplay for the feature film The Krays (winner of the Evening Standard Best Film of the Year Award)—he has written many adult stage plays: the seminal The Pitchfork Disney, the multi-award-winning The Fastest Clock in the Universe, Ghost from a Perfect Place, Vincent River, Mercury Fur, Leaves of Glass, Piranha Heights, Tender Napalm (nominated for the London Fringe Best Play Award), Shivered (nominated for the Off-West End Best New Play Award), Dark Vanilla Jungle (winner of an Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award), Radiant Vermin, Tonight With Donny Stixx and Karagula, plus several plays for young people: Karamazoo, Fairytaleheart, Moonfleece (named as one of the 50 Best Works about Cultural Diversity by the National Centre for Children’s Books), Sparkleshark and Brokenville. He has also written books for children, including Scribbleboy (shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal), Kasper in the Glitter (nominated for the Whitbread Prize), and Krindlekrax. He has also directed three feature films from his own screenplays: The Reflecting Skin (winner of eleven international awards, including the prestigious Georges Sadoul Prize), The Passion of Darkly Noon (winner of the Best Director Prize at the Porto Film Festival) and Heartless (winner of the Silver Mélièrs Award for Best Fantasy Film). In 2010 Philip, along with song-writing collaborator Nick Bicat, formed the music group Dreamskin Cradle and their first album, Songs from Grimm, is available on iTunes, Amazon and all major download sites. Philip is also a performance artist in his own right, and his highly-charged readings of his ongoing poetry sequence Lovesongs for Extinct Creatures (first embarked on when he was a student) have proved increasingly popular in recent years.
Philip Ridley was born in the East End of London. He studied painting at St Martin’s School of Art. As well as three books for adults—and the highly acclaimed screenplay for the feature film The Krays (winner of the Evening Standard Best Film of the Year Award)—he has written many adult stage plays: the seminal The Pitchfork Disney, the multi-award-winning The Fastest Clock in the Universe, Ghost from a Perfect Place, Vincent River, Mercury Fur, Leaves of Glass, Piranha Heights, Tender Napalm (nominated for the London Fringe Best Play Award), Shivered (nominated for the Off-West End Best New Play Award), Dark Vanilla Jungle (winner of an Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award), Radiant Vermin, Tonight With Donny Stixx and Karagula, plus several plays for young people: Karamazoo, Fairytaleheart, Moonfleece (named as one of the 50 Best Works about Cultural Diversity by the National Centre for Children’s Books), Sparkleshark and Brokenville. He has also written books for children, including Scribbleboy (shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal), Kasper in the Glitter (nominated for the Whitbread Prize), and Krindlekrax. He has also directed three feature films from his own screenplays: The Reflecting Skin (winner of eleven international awards, including the prestigious Georges Sadoul Prize), The Passion of Darkly Noon (winner of the Best Director Prize at the Porto Film Festival) and Heartless (winner of the Silver Mélièrs Award for Best Fantasy Film). In 2010 Philip, along with song-writing collaborator Nick Bicat, formed the music group Dreamskin Cradle and their first album, Songs from Grimm, is available on iTunes, Amazon and all major download sites. Philip is also a performance artist in his own right, and his highly-charged readings of his ongoing poetry sequence Lovesongs for Extinct Creatures (first embarked on when he was a student) have proved increasingly popular in recent years.