Earlier this mornng, I finished reading the 1981 novel by Christopher Priest, "The Affirmation." I'm sure I read this before, around the time of first publication, or at least soon after. I recall this as being one of the best books I'd read in a long time, perhaps longer. Now,on re-reading, I believe this to be far better, even a revolutionary novel, one that has broken boundaries, norms, expectations and many previous efforts in the field. Also, it should be said, this profound work should not be labelled 'Science Fiction', nor even 'Fantasy' - it is both a bigger and more encompassing work than this boxy pigeon-holing could imagine. Nor should it be described as a mainstream work, which implies an agreed way, or tried-and-tested particular method or modus operandi. The only notions that may be given and accepted is that the novel is written in the first person, runs for 200 pages and is enclosed and offered as a printed book. After that, the parameters can and will become as large, or as small as the reader's mind. It's a personal journey, so be open and do forget Roland Barthes' notion of 'The Death of the Author', your reading this work may well lead to the disappearance of the reader. In 1966, a major novel was published with an ambiguous conclusion. This approach by John Fowles, in 'The Magus' (and more famously later, in 'The French Lieutenants' Woman'), seemed to herald a more imaginative, yet realistic, approach to the writer dealing with the disparity between story, fiction, neatness, life and endings.
In 'The Affirmation,' Christopher Priest adroitly provides no real ending at all, for the story of Peter Sinclair, the narrator, continues, like ouroborus, the snake with its tail in its mouth, to run on, back to its beginning, staying suspended in the mind for days, weeks (years?) after a reading.The reader, once drawn into the narrator's tale, will take everything as having really occurred, just as in most well-written stories. But just when we reach the point where Peter begins to type out his own life-story, and we believe that his memory is correctly describing events, characters and places, we begin to doubt, ponder, question. During this process the writer inhabits a white room, types on sheets of blank white paper, and all appears well - the truth is told - until other characters attempt to read his work. Slowly, we begin to wonder who/what is real, what is imagination, how far reality and dream inter-penetrate, where/what is the interface - how does one level of existence affect and influence another? This is not only a superb study of a person trying to understand who he really is,in relation to self and others, and what he should be and do, but also shows a mind in turmoil, treading water but trying to find dry land, heading towards a space that is both enclosed and limitless, image and stone reality. Priest/Sinclair has successfully depicts a schizoid state of utter clarity coupled with maximum confusion. He knows what is true and real at every step...then turns another corner, as do the readers... At one point, re-reading his manuscript, Peter Sinclair says there are three levels of the text: the first is the written words, the second is the pencilled alterations and deletions and the third level is what was not written - ie, the spaces, allusions, and deliberate omissions. This is the space that the reader may fill in, with his or her own diaries, dreams, descriptions of the real, word-paintings of the imagined, worries, hopes for the future, memories of past deeds and misdeeds. Read this book once, then let it read you.


5 stars   February 18, 2003
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

I have just reread The Affirmation after about 18 years. It was not quite as I remembered it. To quote from the book "Memory is a flawed medium".

What is it about? Here is my attempt at an improved synopsis:

Peter Sinclair has a run of bad luck - his father dies, he is made redundant, he is served notice to quit his flat, and he falls out with the girl he loves. A family friend lends him a country cottage in return for some renovation and decorating. He moves into the cottage and starts to brood on what he left behind and tries to remember everything that has happened to him in his life so that he can make some sense of it. He realises that he has to write it all down. He finds a typewriter and starts enthusiastically writing all his memories but realises that he is constrained by having to stick to literal truth. He constantly rewrites, using his imagination to seek a higher truth about his life. A large part of the novel is devoted the story of his alter ego but the dividing line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred.

When I was reading the early part of the book I found it easy to follow and it seemed so real that I suspected that Christopher Priest was describing events from his life. Then the fantasy element is introduced with a sub-story set in the Dream Archipelago. After I finished reading the book I was still thinking about it, wondering how much I had understood, what the Dream Archipelago meant, what was the "higher truth", what was "The Affirmation". It is like one of films with that you need to watch it again straight away to try to unravel its mysteries.

Some other related facts:
An Infinite Summer was published in 1979 and included three Dream Archipelago stories
The Affirmation as published in 1981
The Dream Archipelago was published in 1999 which included the three Dream Archipelago stories from An Infinite Summer plus three more.

How good is it? I suspect books are like bottles of wine - it is not just the wine, it is the occasion, what mood you are in, so many different factors. At worst it is a pretty good novel at best it is brilliant.


6 stars   December 5, 2002
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

It is the best novel about schizophrenia that I have read. Peter Sinclair isolates himself in a cottage to write an autobiography but writes it in the form of a fantasy. The trouble is what is
fantasy and what is reality?

I remember this book as a wonderful reading experience and would be in my top books of all time.


Amazing, gripping read   December 7, 2000
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I have just read this book after 12 years. When I first read it I thought it was one of the best things I've ever read. The second read did not disappoint: it was even better. Why is Christopher Priest not more famous? A man writes his autobiography, he's just had a run of bad luck ... no, to give anything away would spoil it. Buy it.