As If

by Blake Morrison

Book Overview

In February of 1993, in Liverpool, England, two-year-old James Bulger was led by the hand out of a mall, and forced to walk two miles to the site of his own murder. Later, as a shocked world demanded... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1862070458
• ISBN13: 9781862070455
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Granta Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.6" x 0.6" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

"As If" makes us think.

Blake Morrison's "As If" was this reader's favorite find of the year. Morrison finds himself compelled to view the unfolding of Liverpool's James Bulger murder trial, and in doing so is forced to assess his own life in relation to what it means to grow up "normally". Who is truly guilty or innocent in this shocking act of two ten-year olds murdering a two-year old? He says he must determine the "why" of the crime. As we sink with him into the morass, we find that the answer becomes more and more elusive, and we wonder how different these families are from yours or mine.

The most profound book I have ever read.

I bought this novel in the summer while I was in England. A few weeks ago, when I was looking for a book to read, I came across As If on my book shelf. Since then I have read it three times. Morrison made me ask questions of myself and of society that I would have never asked otherwise. He explains the trial, not only in a factual manner, but in an extrordinarily philosophical way as well.