Following Tam Clay around the Gorbals slums of 1960s Glasgow, Torrington combines lyrical verve with dark comedy in this modern odyssey of self-discovery. Direct, aggressive, with an eye for a witty pun and an ear for Glaswegian dialect, Torrington bends language to his uncompromising will. A riotous urban picaresque, Jeff Torrington's comic novel marked a milestone in Scottish literature.