A Brief History of Seven Killings is the third novel by Jamaican author Marlon James.[1] It was published in 2014 by Riverhead Books.[2] The novel spans several decades and explores the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in Jamaica in 1976 and its aftermath, through the crack wars in New York City in the 1980s, and a changed Jamaica in the 1990s.[3]
 Cover of the 2014 hardcover edition | |
| Author | Marlon James |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Gregg Kulick |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Riverhead Books |
Publication date | 2 October 2014 (hardcover, e-book) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 688 |
| Awards | 2015 Booker Prize |
| ISBN | 978-1780746357 |
Synopsis
editThe novel has five sections, each named after a musical track and covering the events of a single day:
- “Original Rockers: December 2, 1976”
- “Ambush in the Night: December 3, 1976”
- “Shadow Dancin: February 15, 1979”
- “White Lines/Kids in America: August 14, 1985”
- “Sound Boy Killing: March 22, 1991”
The first part of the novel is set in Kingston, Jamaica, in the build-up to the Smile Jamaica Concert held on 5 December 1976, and describes politically motivated violence between gangs associated with the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP), especially in the West Kingston neighbourhoods of Tivoli Gardens and Matthews Lane (renamed in the novel as Copenhagen City and Eight Lanes),[4] including involvement of the CIA in the Jamaican politics of the time. As well as Marley (who is referred to as "the Singer" throughout), other real-life characters depicted or fictionalized in the book include Kingston gangsters Winston "Burry Boy" Blake and George "Feathermop" Spence, Claude Massop and Lester Lloyd Coke (Jim Brown) of the JLP and Aston Thomson (Buckie Marshall) of the PNP.[5]
Characters
editCAST OF CHARACTERS
Greater Kingston from 1959
- Sir Arthur Jennings, former politician, deceased
- The Singer, reggae superstar of the world
- Peter Nasser, politician, strategist
- Nina Burgess, former receptionist, presently unemployed
- Kim-Marie Burgess, her sister
- Ras Trent, Kim-Marie’s lover
- Doctor Love / Luis Hernán Rodrigo de las Casas, CIA consultant
- Barry Diflorio, CIA station chief, Jamaica
- Claire Diflorio, his wife
- William Adler, former field officer, CIA, now rogue
- Alex Pierce, journalist, Rolling Stone
- Mark Lansing, filmmaker, son of Richard Lansing, former CIA director
- Louis Johnson, field officer, CIA
- Mr. Clark, field officer, CIA
- Bill Bilson, journalist, the Jamaica Gleaner
- Sally Q, fixer, informant
- Tony McFerson, politician
- Officer Watson, police
- Officer Nevis, police
- Officer Grant, police
Copenhagen City
- Papa-Lo / Raymond Clarke, don of Copenhagen City, 1960–1979
- Josey Wales, head enforcer, don of Copenhagen City, 1979–1991, leader of the Storm Posse
- Weeper, gang enforcer, Storm Posse head enforcer, Manhattan/Brooklyn
- Demus, gang member
- Heckle, gang member
- Bam-Bam, gang member
- Funky Chicken, gang member
- Renton, gang member
- Leggo Beast, gang member
- Tony Pavarotti, enforcer, sniper
- Priest, messenger, informer
- Junior Soul, informer/rumored Eight Lanes spy
- The Wang Gang, gang based in Wang Sang Lands, affiliated with Copenhagen City
- Copper, gang enforcer
- Chinaman, gang leader near Copenhagen City
- Treetop, gang member
- Bullman, enforcer
The Eight Lanes
- Shotta Sherrif / Roland Palmer, don of the Eight Lanes, 1975–1980
- Funnyboy, gang enforcer and second-in-command
- Buntin-Banton, coleader and don of the Eight Lanes, 1972–1975
- Dishrag, coleader and don of the Eight Lanes, 1972–1975
Outside Jamaica, 1976–1979
- Donald Casserley, drug trafficker, president, Jamaica Freedom League
- Richard Lansing, CIA director, 1973–1976
- Lindon Wolfsbricker, American ambassador to Yugoslavia
- Admiral Warren Tunney, CIA director, 1977–1981
- Roger Theroux, field officer, CIA
- Miles Copeland, CIA station chief, Cairo
- Edgar Anatolyevich Cheporov, reporter, Novosti News Agency
- Freddy Lugo, operative, Alpha 66, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD
- Hernán Ricardo Lozano, operative, Alpha 66, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD
- Orlando Bosch, operative Omega 7, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD
- Gael and Freddy, operatives, Omega 7, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD
- Sal Resnick, journalist, New York Times
Montego Bay, 1979
- Kim Clarke, unemployed
- Charles/Chuck, engineer, Alcorp Bauxite
Miami and New York, 1985–1991
- Storm Posse, Jamaican drug syndicate
- Ranking Dons, rival Jamaican drug syndicate
- Eubie, head enforcer, Storm Posse, Queens/Bronx
- A-Plus, associate of Tristan Phillips
- Pig Tails, enforcer, Storm Posse, Queens/Bronx
- Ren-Dog, enforcer, Storm Posse, Queens/Bronx
- Omar, enforcer, Storm Posse, Manhattan/Brooklyn
- Romeo, drug dealer, Storm Posse, Brooklyn
- Tristan Phillips, inmate, Rikers, member of Ranking Dons
- John-John K, hit man, carjacker
- Paco, carjacker
- Griselda Blanco, drug lord, Medellín cartel Miami operations
- Baxter, enforcer for Griselda Blanco
- The Hawaiian Shirts, enforcers for Griselda Blanco
- Kenneth Colthirst, New York resident, 5th Avenue
- Gaston Colthirst, his son
- Gail Colthirst, his daughter-in-law
- Dorcas Palmer, caregiver
- Millicent Segree, student nurse
- Miss Betsy, manager, God Bless Employment Agency
- Monifah Thibodeaux, drug addict
Reception
editJames' novel was praised for its mastery of voice and genre, encompassing historical epic, spy novel, gang thriller and mythical saga all at once. Writing in Literary Review, Kevin Power praises Marlon James' energy and imagination in his characters' voices: "his command of a range of tones and voices approaches the virtuoso."[6] However, Power notes the novel's lack of narrative momentum necessary to propel it through nearly 700 pages.
According to Book Marks, the book received "positive" reviews based on 11 critic reviews with 5 being "rave" and 4 being "positive" and 1 being "mixed" and 1 being "pan".[7] On Bookmarks January/February 2015 issue, a magazine that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a 
(3.5 out of 5) based on critic reviews with a critical summary saying, "Nonetheless, those with "stout heart[s], strong stomach[s] and prodigious powers of concentration" will find much to admire in James's demanding third novel (Minneapolis Star Tribune)".[8][9]
Awards
editThe book was awarded the 2015 Booker Prize. This was the first time that a Jamaican-born author had won the prize.[10] According to the BBC: "[Booker chair of judges Michael] Wood said the judges came to a unanimous decision in less than two hours. He praised the book's 'many voices'—it contains more than 75 characters—which 'went from Jamaican slang to Biblical heights'".
In a podcast interview, James said he spent part of the £50,000 Booker Prize money on a lamp in the shape of a life-size horse.[11]
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | National Book Critics Circle Award | Fiction | Shortlisted | [12] |
| 2015 | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence | Fiction | Longlisted | [13] |
| Anisfield-Wolf Book Award | Fiction | Won | [14][15] | |
| Green Carnation Prize | — | Won | [16] | |
| Man Booker Prize | — | Won | [17][18][19][20] | |
| Minnesota Book Award | Novel & Short Story | Won | [21] | |
| OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature | Fiction | Won | [22] | |
| PEN/Open Book Award | — | Longlisted | [23] | |
| 2016 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Shortlisted | [24] |
Television
editHBO optioned the novel in May 2015 and is planning a television series, although no debut date has been announced.[25]
References
edit- ^ Miller, Kei (10 December 2014). "A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James review—bloody conflicts in 1970s Jamaica". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ Lazar, Zachary (23 October 2014). "Sunday Book Review: 'A Brief History of Seven Killings,' by Marlon James". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "A Brief History of Seven Killings". Goodreads. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ Escoffery, Sherman (22 October 2014). "LargeUp Interview: Marlon James on "A Brief History of Seven Killings"". LargeUp. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ Harvey, Chris (13 October 2015). "Marlon James interview: 'I didn't want to fall into a pornography of violence'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ Power, Kevin (28 September 2015). "A Shot in the Arm". Literary Review. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "A Brief History of Seven Killings". Book Marks. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "A Brief History of Seven Killings". Bookmarks. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ "A Brief History of Seven Killings". Bibliosurf (in French). 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Masters, Tim (13 October 2015). "Man Booker Prize 2015: Marlon James wins for A Brief History of Seven Killings". BBC News. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ "The Booker Prize Podcast". Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "National Book Critics Circle Announces Finalists for Publishing Year 2014". Critical Mass. National Book Critics Circle. 19 January 2015. Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ "2015 Winners". Reference & User Services Association (RUSA). 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Winners". Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Marlon James". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ Anderson, Eric Karl (December 7, 2015). "The Green Carnation Prize 2015 Winner". Lonesome Reader. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ Kellogg, Carolyn (2015-10-13). "Marlon James wins the Man Booker Prize". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Man Booker Prize 2015: Marlon James wins for A Brief History of Seven Killings". BBC News. 2015-10-13. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ Brown, Mark (2015-10-13). "Marlon James wins the Man Booker prize 2015". The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ Singh, Anita (2015-10-14). "Booker Prize 2015 winner Marlon James: 'I almost gave up'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Winners of the 27th Annual Minnesota Book Awards". Minnesota Book Awards. Archived from the original on 18 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
- ^ "Top three books named for 2015 OCM Bocas Prize • Bocas Lit Fest". www.bocaslitfest.com. 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ "2015 PEN Open Book Award". PEN America. 2015-02-02. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ Cain, Sian (2016-04-12). "Shortlist announced for the 2016 International Dublin Literary award". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Marlon James' Novel A Brief History of Seven Killings to Become HBO TV Series" (Press release). Penguin Books USA. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2024.