James Kelman’s raw, wry vision of human survival in a bureaucratic world is given voice by Sammy, an ex-convict with a penchant for shoplifting

Translated Accounts
Written by James Kelman
- Longlisted
- The Booker Prize 2001
- Published by Secker & Warburg
Buy the book
James Kelman offers us a harrowing glimpse into a realm where power is unchecked and liberties are few or nonexistent
Taking us into an unnamed territory that appears to be under military rule, Kelman creates a world that many know or have known, a world that may one day be thrust upon us, conjuring a grim awareness of the instability that lurks behind the veneer of order in any country. Combining dark, Kafkaesque visions with uncompromising, Beckett-like prose, Kelman has written a novel that is often shocking yet surprisingly poignant, and totally unforgettable.
James Kelman
James Kelman was born in Glasgow. His novel How Late It Was, How Late won the Booker Prize 1994
More about James Kelman