Description

The confessions of a time-travelling cultural vampire, wherein the alternative history of late 20th-century counterculture is revealed. Sent on a holy mission at a young age, the demon Jonah Plantagenet uses his God-given gifts to pillage the past. From the mists of prehistory, through Roman Britain, to the birth of Acid House; from the arcades of Slough to the court of King John; from chip shops in Manchester to biker rumbles in California—this son of a demon god takes the words from J.G. Ballard's mouth, swipes the genius of Kandinsky, sucks out the minds of famous DJs, possesses Rudolf Steiner, and resurrects the Beatles. Now, he must face his judgement. Justin Robertson weaves a breathless tale infused with dark humour and a keen appreciation of the absurd. In parts loosely autobiographical, The Trial of Jonah captures the magic and wonder of art, music, and words, reflecting on how the creative process is really one protracted act of possession.