A new life of bliss in the USA seems to have been granted to Stefan. But then things start to fall apart, in James Lasdun’s cunning political thriller
James Lasdun
Novels are just a part of James Lasdun’s output. A much-praised author, he is arguably better known as a short-story writer, and for his memoir about being stalked by a former student
Lasdun was born in London and now lives in the Catskill Mountains in New York State. His father was the architect Sir Denys Lasdun, designer of the National Theatre on London’s South Bank, but the son has gravitated toward the screen rather than the stage. Lasdun’s short story The Siege was filmed by Bernardo Bertolucci and he has co-written two prize-winning filmscripts, Sunday and Signs and Wonders. He also writes poetry and essays but says he is wary of distinctions: ‘I just think of myself as a writer. At various different times different forms have appealed more or less.’