The Illuminated Man by Christopher Priest and Nina Allan review – an unconventional portrait of JG Ballard
Summary
Adam Sisman’s Guardian review analyzes The Illuminated Man by Christopher Priest and Nina Allan, highlighting how the biography interweaves Priest’s terminal illness with Ballard’s life and work. It praises the book’s brave, multilayered approach while noting gaps and a non-conventional structure, concluding it’s moving but not a traditional biography. The piece also situates Ballard within postwar literature and the enduring concept of 'Ballardian' imagery.