Martin Amis in Conversation, Kings Place

The Zone of Interest , Martin Amis’ new novel, is a tale of love in a hopeless place. While his earlier work Time's Arrow dealt with the Holocaust’s unadulterated horrors by inverting time and depicting it backwards, The Zone of Interest plunges the reader straight into a surrogate Auschwitz. 

Following a civilian observer as he falls for the Commandant’s wife, it straddles the boundaries between tragedy and farce. Amis’ usual elastic wit and adept mutations of the English language are refined to perfection, here matched with a deep-seated interest in the human soul and the nightmarish truths behind evil. Critics have already declared it amongst his finest works. Everyone who attends the event will receive a complementary hardback copy, signed by Amis himself.

The Financial Times are offering a rare opportunity to see Amis, who is now resident in the US, in London. Amis is known as a droll interlocutor, peppering his conversation with pithy wisdoms and witticisms that enliven even the most serious discussion. Along with The Zone of Interest, expect to hear about Amis’ life in America, his wild past life and the celebrated novel London Fields , which turns twenty-five this year. Philippe Sands QC, professor of law at UCL and FT columnist, will conduct the interview.