| Martin Amis: factfile | - Son of novelist Kingsley Amis
- Author of The Rachel Papers, Money and London Fields
- Due to begin teaching at the University of Manchester in September 2007
- has written about 9/11, the Holocaust and Stalinism
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When the University of Manchester's Centre for New Writing opens its doors in September this year, its new students will be faced with a daunting figure holding the red ballpoint. Renowned novelist Martin Amis. Amis' first book, The Rachel Papers, was published in 1973. As the son of one of the great British novelists - father Kingsley - much was expected of young Martin and the book did not disappoint. Nor did the ten that followed - and the latest addition to the bibliography, The Pregnant Widow, is expected to further his reputation as the finest living British author. Amis the Younger is also following in dad's imposing footsteps by making the transition to the world of the tweed jacket and leather elbow-patch. Amis Senior taught at Swansea, Princeton and Cambridge and, according to Martin, "by all accounts he was very good at it." War against cliché | | Experience by Martin Amis |
But Martin also claims that he's especially well equipped for life in the classroom: "I've written a lot of fiction, and I've also written a lot about fiction, so I'll be bringing a dual perspective to it," he said. Asked on Radio 4's Front Row about his teaching approach, Amis said he would be continuing his war against cliché and 'following the crowd'. "If I have a pro bono goal in mind, it would be to clear out all this second hand stuff, which is what ideologies always are. But also the second hand language that we have all become used to: phrases like 'no brainer.' and 'gone pear shaped.' "And that's my aim: to try to detach them from whatever crowd they're trundling along with and make them concentrate on their individuality because you can't be a writer and a joiner of general movements." Researching the futureHowever, there is another reason why Martin is looking forward to scrutinising the inner thoughts of his students - as a unique research tool: "It will give me a chance to find out more about that shadowy and inscrutable demographic group - the young." | "It will give me a chance to find out more about that shadowy and inscrutable demographic group - the young." | | Martin Amis |
Bringing the former 'enfant terrible' of English literature on board is undoubtedly a coup for the University of Manchester. Professor Alan Gilbert, President and Vice-Chancellor, said: "[Martin's] standing in the literary world and his commitment to fiction and to the critical essay, fit exactly the model of the new Centre for New Writing. "It will be a wonderful opportunity for our creative writing students to learn their craft from so distinguished a novelist," he added. ControversialThroughout his time at the typewriter, Amis has never shied away from making controversial remarks both in public and within his uniquely acerbic writing style. His last book, House of Meetings, contained a short story imagining the last moments of 9/11 hijacker Mohammed Atta and on returning to Britain after living abroad he referred to young Muslim extremists thus: "To me, Britain looks like a multicultural society that's working, apart from a few of these miserable bastards." It promises to be a fascinating literary journey at the University from September. | 
