Concrete Island

Concrete Island
J. G. Ballard

Neil Gaiman

Robert Maitland, a 35 year-old architect, is driving home from his London offices when a blow-out sends his speeding Jaguar hurtling out of control. Smashing through a temporary barrier he finds himself, dazed and disorientated, on a traffic island below three converging motorways. But when he tries to climb the embankment or flag-down a passing car for help it proves impossible – and he finds himself imprisoned on the concrete island. In this twisted version of ‘Robinson Crusoe’, Maitland must learn to survive – using only what he can find in his crashed car.As in all Ballard’s best work ‘Concrete Island’ provides an unnerving study of our modern lives and world. With his alienating ‘Ballardian’ view of normal events, this is a unique novel from one of our finest writers.

J. G. BALLARD

Concrete Island

Copyright (#u93bc0e2d-7cb2-5381-a8be-5e7d045ea8ef)

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Fourth Estate

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/)

First published in Great Britain by Jonathan Cape Ltd 1974

Copyright © J. G. Ballard 1974

J. G. Ballard asserts the moral right to be identifiend as the author of this work

Introduction copyright © Neil Gaiman 2014

‘The Sage of Shepperton’ © Travis Elborough 2008

Cover by Stanley Donwood

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this e-book has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication

Source ISBN: 9780007287048

Ebook Edition © MARCH 2009 ISBN: 9780007321582

Version: 2016-08-17

Contents

Cover (#u22c91302-5ac2-50fc-b99a-525fa01a8e2e)

Title Page (#u7f51bb1d-95fa-5b70-a8b7-cb1d54be9f29)

Copyright (#u253d0faf-91ab-5dd8-aaf8-0a8127ea1705)

Author’s Note (#u1a27ccba-357d-5daa-8815-fda1c5233dc2)

Introduction by Neil Gaiman (#u10710fa7-0141-539e-933e-91b890676d35)

Chapter 1 – Through the crash barrier (#ud05ad527-8219-53f0-bee1-16d70b803fae)

Chapter 2 – The embankment (#u32424494-c6e1-53a7-b4c7-7df1ebd72253)

Chapter 3 – Injury and exhaustion (#ud593532f-edfb-5afc-b26a-37b6a03ef194)

Chapter 4 – The water reservoir (#uf23d6aee-cdba-52ee-8a0d-803c56144cab)

Chapter 5 – The perimeter fence (#uac2b638c-9b74-5a9a-8d42-2dd69526a3fa)

Chapter 6 – The rain-storm (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 7 – The burning car (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 – The messages (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 – Fever (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 – The air-raid shelter (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 – Rescue (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 – The acrobat (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 – The fire signal (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 – A taste of poison (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 – The bribe (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 – The food source (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 – The duel (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 – Five pounds (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 – Beast and rider (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 – The naming of the island (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 – Delirium (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 – The pavilion of doors (#litres_trial_promo)