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BOOKS ABOUT BALLARD

This section covers book length treatments of Ballard - bibliographies, critical works, and anthologies. For a more comprehensive listing of secondary literature on Ballard, both books and articles, see Umberto Rossi's The Critical Exhibition


J. G. BALLARD: A BIBLIOGRAPHY (ed. J. Goddard), Cypher Press, 1970

An early bibliography, photostated and with a tape binding. This is a scarce publication.

J G Ballard: A Bibliography, 1970

J. G. BALLARD: THE FIRST TWENTY YEARS (ed. J. Goddard & D. Pringle), Bran's Head Books, 1976

Published in both hardback and paperback editions, The First Twenty Years contains a bibliography, a lengthy interview with Ballard, and a number of articles on various aspects of Ballard's work. Copies are usually available on Abebooks.

J.G. Ballard: The First Twenty Years, 1976

EARTH IS THE ALIEN PLANET: J. G. BALLARD'S FOUR-DIMENSIONAL NIGHTMARE (D. Pringle) Borgo Press, 1979

A short critical appreciation of Ballard, by his chief bibliographer, published in paperback (there may also have been a hardback edition). This is actually an expanded version of an earlier essay by Pringle.

Earth Is the Alien Planet, 1978

J. G. BALLARD: A PRIMARY & SECONDARY BIBLIOGRAPHY (D. Pringle), G. K. Hall, 1984

This is the definitive bibliography of Ballard's work, although now rather out of date. It also contains an extensive interview with Ballard and an introductory article by David Pringle. Published in hardback, apparently without a dust jacket. This is a difficult book to find.

 

A Primary and Secondary Bibliography, 1984

RE/SEARCH #8/9: J. G. BALLARD, Re/Search, 1984

The first of numerous books by or about Ballard from the idiosyncratic publishers Re/Search from San Francisco. This is a large format, illustrated paperback packed with interviews, articles, and extracts from Ballard's work. Of particular interest is the inclusion of some of Ballard's more obscure work, such as his 'advertiser's announcements', and his collages dating from the 1950s.

This book has been reprinted on several occasions.

Re/Search 8/9, 1984

J. G. BALLARD (P. Brigg), Starmont House, 1985

A book length critical appreciation published in paperback; there was also a hardback edition which had an imitation leather binding with a paper cover pasted to the front. An uncommon book in either format, although it is now also available on a print-on-demand basis.

J. G. Ballard, 1985

OUT OF THE NIGHT AND INTO THE DREAM (G. Stephenson), Greenwood Press, 1991

Another critical appreciation, from a very definite and singular perspective, published in hardback and without a dust jacket. Despite being reasonably common on Abebooks, the prices asked for a copy of Out of the Night are frequently rather outlandish, possibly because it was originally published as a high-priced academic book. There are however occasional copies on Abe or eBay priced at much more reasonable levels.  

Out of the Night and into the Dream, 1991

CRASH (D. Cronenberg), Faber & Faber, 1996

The script for Cronenberg's film adaptation of the novel Crash.

Crash, 1996

THE ANGLE BETWEEN TWO WALLS (R. Luckhurst), Liverpool University Press, 1997

A critical appreciation with an emphasis on genre and literary theory, published in both hardback and paperback editions. Also published in the U.S. by St. Martin's Press/Palgrave Macmillan.

The Angle Between Two Walls, 1997

J. G. BALLARD (M. Delville), Northcote House Publishers, 1998

Another critical appreciation, published in paperback.  

J. G. Ballard, 1998

CRASH (I. Sinclair), British Film Institute, 1999

A book length discussion of Cronenberg's film of Crash by the author Iain Sinclair, which includes a discussion with Ballard; published in paperback.

Crash, 1999

J. G. BALLARD: QUOTES, Re/Search, 2004

A glossy paperback full of quotes from Ballard and his works - 400 pages worth! Another excellent Ballard book from Re/Search.

There was also a signed flexibind paperback edition, which was limited to 250 numbered copies.

J. G. Ballard: Quotes, 2004

J. G. BALLARD (A. Gasiorek), Manchester University Press, 2005

A discussion of Ballard's work 'informed, but not dominated by, critical theory'. Published in both hardback (without a dust jacket) and paperback.

J. G. Ballard, 2005

J. G. BALLARD: CONVERSATIONS, Re/Search, 2005

A glossy paperback book of interviews with Ballard, most of which were previously unpublished, and a companion to Re/Search's J. G. Ballard: Quotes.

J. G. Ballard: Conversations, 2005

GRAVE NEW WORLD (D. Oramus), University of Warsaw, 2007

Oramus's book considers Ballard's fiction as 'a record of the gradual internal degeneration of Western civilisation in the second half of the twentieth century.' It was published by the University of Warsaw in a non-profit edition (150 copies only) principally intended for Polish universities and libraries, and hence was never actually available for purchase by the public. The author had written an earlier book on Ballard, The Voices of Disaster: J. G. Ballard and the Disaster Story Tradition in England (2005), which was also published by the University of Warsaw with a similarly limited distribution.

Grave New World, 2007

J. G. Ballard. Autòpsia del nou mil·lenni, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, 2008

The catalogue for the exhibition J. G. Ballard. Autopsy of the new millennium, which ran in Barcelona during 2008. The profusely illustrated text is in Catalan, with translations into Spanish and English at the end of the book. As well as describing the various sections of this excellent and imaginatively conceived exhibition, there are essays on Ballard by the likes of V. Vale and Vicente Luis Mora.

J. G. Ballard. Autòpsia del nou mil·lenni, 2008

J. G. BALLARD: CONTEMPORARY CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES (ed. Jeannette Baxter), Continuum, 2008

A volume of critical essays, plus an interview with Ballard; published in both paperback and hardback.

J. G. Ballard: Contemporary Critical Perspectives, 2008

J. G. BALLARD'S SURREALIST IMAGINATION: SPECTACULAR AUTHORSHIP (Jeannette Baxter), Ashgate, 2009

Another book-length critical study, published in an illustrated hardback edition. Jeannette Baxter considers how Ballard's fiction is informed by his surrealist influences.

J. G. Ballard's Surrealist Imagination, 2009

CRASH: HOMAGE TO J. G. BALLARD, Gagosian Gallery, 2010

The catalogue for an exhibition featuring artists who influenced Ballard, or were influenced by him. The exhibition ran at the Gagosian Gallery in London during February to April 2010.

The catalogue reprints a number of Ballard's Miscellaneous Media, namely the advertiser's announcements, the text collage Project for a New Novel, and J. G. Ballard's Court Circular. It also contains an updated bibliography by David Pringle, covering first U.K. and U.S. editions of Ballard's books (novels and collections), as well as short stories, miscellaneous media, and short non-fiction (but excluding interviews and 'round-robins').

Unfortunately, the catalogue is a rather expensive purchase, costing £65. It can be purchased direct from the Gagosian.

Crash: Homage to J. G. Ballard, 2010

THE INNER MAN: THE LIFE OF J. G. BALLARD (John Baxter), Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2011

A biography of Ballard, albeit one written without the cooperation of his long-term partner, Claire Walsh, or his children. Unfortunately it is no better than a piece of hackwork.

The Inner Man: The Life of J. G. Ballard, 2011

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FICTIONS OF J. G. BALLARD (S. Francis), Continuum, 2011

An academic treatise concentrating on Ballard's engagement through his fiction with the likes of Freud, Jung, and Laing.

The Psychological Fictions of J. G. Ballard, 2011

J. G. BALLARD: VISIONS AND REVISIONS (ed. Jeannette Baxter & Rowland Wymer), Palgrave Macmillan, 2011

A volume of academic essays that originate from From Shanghai to Shepperton: An International Conference on J.G. Ballard, held at the University of East Anglia in 2007.

J. G. Ballard: Visions and Revisions, 2011