An Evening with Marlon James

Marlon James’ A Brief History of Seven Killings is a literary tour de force. A sprawling, maximalist tale, it takes at its starting point a real-life event: the attempted murder of Bob Marley. In 1976, the iconic reggae star was at home when seven gunmen broke in and opened fire. Miraculously, both he and his wife survived, but the perpetrators were never brought to justice.

A Brief History of Seven Killings asks what happened next. James imagines the lives of the seven gunmen after the assassination attempt, embarking on a journey that leads him into a deep, vividly realised world populated by drug barons and beauty queens. James cites Charles Dickens as a major inspiration, and in its staggering scope the novel resembles the Victorian novelist’s extravagant yarns.

Upon publication, the novel met with glowing reviews, and went on to win this year’s Man Booker Prize. Seeing off competition from the likes of Tom McCarthy and Hanya Yanigahara, James became the first Jamaican recipient of the literary accolade.

Running to 704 pages in length, one detects a hint of irony in the descriptor ‘brief.’ This is a long read, and a truly engrossing one, already touted to become a modern classic. On 27 November, Guardian Live host an evening with Marlon James. For fans of the modern novel, this is an opportunity not to be missed.