The Canons

The Canons are books without boundaries. Some are classics already, the rest will be soon.

McGrotty and Ludmilla by Alasdair Gray cover
A fantastical comedy from the irreplaceable Alasdair Gray
The Fall of Kelvin Walker by Alasdair Gray cover
From the genius of Scottish letters, a satire of religion, the media and London
Unlikely Stories, Mostly by Alasdair Gray cover
The first short story collection from the irreplaceable Alasdair Gray, sublimely decorated throughout
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall cover
The award-winning cult classic. Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award and shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award
Redeployment by Phil Klay cover
The New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-winning story collection which takes readers to the frontline of the Iraq wars. ‘A must read’ Guardian
Reconciliation by Naoya Shiga cover
An autobiographical novella recounting the move towards reconciliation between a father and son; translated for the first time in English
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West cover
A travel literature classic. Introduced by Geoff Dyer: ‘As a book about Yugoslavia it’s a kind of metaphysical Lonely Planet that never requires updating’
Misadventures by Sylvia Smith cover
The extraordinary memoir of an ordinary woman’s life
The Pattern in the Carpet by Margaret Drabble cover
A beautifully written and deeply personal book on the jigsaw and the part it plays in the patchwork of its distinguished author’s life. A mix of memoir, jigsaw history and the strange delights of puzzling
Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky cover
A groundbreaking new translation of Dostoyevsky’s most radical work of fiction. Introduced by DBC Pierre
The Boat by Nam Le cover
A remarkable collection about what it means to be human, winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize
A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam cover
A mother struggles to protect her children as Bangladesh fights for independence; winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award
Necropolis by Boris Pahor cover
A classic of Holocaust literature from the camps’ oldest known survivor; introduced by Alan Yentob
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott cover
A modern classic – a funny and practical guide to being a writer by the New York Times bestseller
Tsotsi by Athol Fugard cover
A classic of South African literature, adapted into a major motion picture, introduced by Jonathan Kaplan
Dubliners by James Joyce cover
Joyce’s brilliantly vivid portrait of Dublin, introduced by Colm Tóibín
The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break by Steven Sherrill cover
A wry and lyrical take on what it means to be an outsider through the lens of one of mythology’s most monstrous creatures: the Minotaur
Book of Mercy by Leonard Cohen cover
One of Leonard Cohen’s best loved volumes of poetry; a personal and powerful collection, popular since its original publication over thirty years ago
Let Us Compare Mythologies by Leonard Cohen cover
The passionate and accomplished debut collection of poetry from the world’s greatest lyricist Leonard Cohen
Pimp: The Story Of My Life by Iceberg Slim cover
The perennial cult classic, introduced by Irvine Welsh
Rembrandt's Whore by Sylvie Matton cover
A fictional account of Hendrickje Stoffels, Rembrandt’s mistress and confidante, published on the 350th anniversary of the artist’s death
The Spare Room by Helen Garner cover
This Australian novel is the journey of two women as their friendship is threatened by death. ‘A perfect novel’ Peter Carey
Buddha Da by Anne Donovan cover
The Orange-Prize-shortlisted debut novel from beloved Scottish writer Anne Donovan
The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd cover
A beautiful, collectable gift edition of the masterpiece of Scottish nature writing. Introduced by Robert Macfarlane and with an afterword by Jeanette Winterson