Night and the City (novel)
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Simon and Schuster US
.jpg) First US edition | |
| Author | Gerald Kersh |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Michael Joseph UK Simon and Schuster US |
Publication date | 1938 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 274 |
| ISBN | 978-0-9551851-3-7 |
| Preceded by | Men Are So Ardent |
| Followed by | They Die with Their Boots Clean |
Night and the City is the third novel by British author Gerald Kersh, published in 1938.[1] It is a crime thriller set in 1930s London but also deals with social realism themes in the aftermath of the Great Depression.[2]
The protagonist of the novel is Harry Fabian, a morally reprehensible pimp determined to become the top wrestling promoter in London. During the course of the novel Fabian is embroiled in various unscrupulous money-making ventures. All those around him are treated as a means to an end without exception. However, while his acts of pimping, blackmail, promoting professional wrestling, and deception are successful, the proceeds of crime soon slip from his hands.
Eventually his world starts to come down around him. On one side the police are closing in; on the other those he has swindled come calling. Desperate and at rock bottom Harry will try anything to ensure he comes out on top.
Publication history
The novel was originally published by Michael Joseph in 1938 and was the author's first successful novel.[3] It was later republished, as a tie-in for the 1992 film version, by Brainiac Books in 1993.[4]
In 2007 London Books republished it as part of their London Classics imprint. The reissue features an introduction by John King, author of The Football Factory.[5]
