Gabriel Krauze is a writer from London, known for his Booker Prize nominated debut Who They Was, an autobiographical novel detailing his life of crime and involvement in the gang culture of South Kilburn.[1]

Early life

Krauze was born in London in 1990 to a Polish immigrant family.[2] He spent his adolescence living in the notorious South Kilburn housing estate where he was immersed in the gang culture of northwest London, ending up in a young offenders institute, while at the same time studying to obtain a degree in English Literature at Queen Mary University.[3]

Career

Krauze initially wrote several short stories for Vice, starting with his first, The Rape of Dina, in 2015.[4] 4th Estate won the rights to his debut novel in 2019[5] and the book was released in September 2020. Before it was even published and available to the wider public, Who They Was was longlisted for the Booker Prize.

Written entirely in the voice and slang of a young criminal from northwest London, and frequently dispensing with grammatical and syntactical conventions, the book is an autobiographical account of gang life in London as well as being an exploration of Nietzschean morality.[6][7] The author has described his own work as being a "moral confrontation" with the reader, which doesn't seek to provide the constructed satisfaction of a narrative arc that ends in redemption.[8] The book is controversial, with frequent depictions of graphic violence,[9] with one of the Booker Prize judges, author and poet Lemn Sissay stating, "I had to have a shower after I read it."[10] Reviews were nevertheless generally favourable, praising the unerring account of gang life[6][9][10] and philosophical exploration of morality, with some criticising the explicit depictions of sex and ultraviolence.[11][12]

Krauze has been described by The New York Times as "an anomaly in British publishing", on account of his gang associations, criminal past, and his frequent wearing of diamond-encrusted grillz.[10]

Who They Was was listed in Time magazine's 100 must read books of 2021[13] and has received support from the likes of Irvine Welsh.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Gabriel Krauze Q&A | The Booker Prizes". thebookerprizes.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  2. ↑ Flynn, Niall (2021-06-15). "Gabriel Krauze is a writer with no time for neat conclusions". Huck Magazine. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  3. ↑ Robson, Leo (2020-09-14). "Booker Prize nominee Gabriel Krauze: "I always had this instinct for wildness"". New Statesman. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  4. ↑ "'The Rape Of Dina' by Gabriel Krauze". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  5. ↑ "Fourth Estate wins auction for 'blazing' autofiction debut". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  6. 1 2 "Who They Was by Gabriel Krauze review – ultraviolent swagger". the Guardian. 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  7. ↑ "Life, crime and modern literature with Gabriel Krauze".
  8. ↑ "To Wield Your Own Power - Gabriel Krauze".
  9. 1 2 Kerridge, Jake (2020-08-23). "Who They Was by Gabriel Krauze review: autofiction meets Grand Theft Auto in this gangland chronicle". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  10. 1 2 3 Marshall, Alex (2021-06-27). "With a Violent Debut, He Reveals a London That Is Rarely Seen". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  11. ↑ Genders, Paul (2020-09-18). "How crime pays". TLS. Times Literary Supplement (6129): 18–19.
  12. ↑ "From The Blocks To Booker Prize: How Gabriel Krauze Made It Out". Complex. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  13. ↑ "'Who They Was' Is One of the 100 Must-Read Books of 2021". Time. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  14. ↑ "Listen to Irvine Welsh and Gabriel Krauze on The Face's new podcast". The Face. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
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