Alexander Trocchi (1925 -1984)
Related: Scottish literature - drugs in literature - Situationism - erotic fiction - author - 1925
Alexander Trocchi
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Biography
Alexander Trocchi was a Scottish novelist, who was born in Glasgow in 1925 as the son of an italian father and died in London on April 15, 1984.
He lived in Paris late 1940s to early 1950s and edited the literary journal "Merlin." Trocchi claimed that this journal came to an end when the US State Department cancelled its many subscriptions in protest over an article by Jean-Paul Sartre.
Maurice Girodias published many of Trocchi's novels through the notorious Olympia Press.
It was at this time that Trocchi acquired his lifelong heroin addiction. He left Paris for the United States and spent time in Taos, New Mexico, before settling in New York City. His time is chronicled in the novel "Cain's Book" which became something of a sensation at the time.
In October 1955 he became involved with the Lettrist International and subsequently with the Situationist International.
After an appearance at the 1962 Edinburgh Writers Festival Trocchi moved to London, where he remained for the rest of his life. He began a new novel, "The Long Book" which never appeared, although it was announced by his publisher. Much of his sporadic work of the 1960s was collected as "The Sigma Portfolio."
Trocchi continued writing but published little. He also became a book dealer/drug dealer with a small business near his Kensington home. He was known locally as Scots Alec. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Trocchi
Imprisonment of Alexander Trocchi (1960)
Resolution of the Fourth Conference of the Situationist International Concerning the Imprisonment of Alexander Trocchi
THE DELEGATES to the fourth conference of the Situationist International, being informed of the arrest in the United States of their friend Alexander Trocchi, and of his charge of use of, and traffic in drugs, declare that the Situationist International retains full confidence in Alexander Trocchi.
The conference DECLARES that Trocchi could not have, in any case, traffic in drugs; this is clearly a police provocation by which the situationists will not allow themselves to be intimidated;
AFFIRMS that drug taking is without importance;
APPOINTS Asger Jorn, Jacqueline de Jong and Guy Debord to take immediate action on behalf of Alexander Trocchi and to report upon such action to the Situationist International at the earliest moment;
CALLS in particular upon the cultural authorities of Britain and on all British intellectuals who value liberty to demand the setting free of Alexander Trocchi, who is beyond all doubt England's most intelligent creative artist today. London, 27th September 1960
from Internationale Situationniste #5 (December 1960) via http://www.cddc.vt.edu/sionline/si/resolution.html [Mar 2005]
Young Adam (2003) - David Mackenzie (II)
Young Adam (2003) - David Mackenzie (II) [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Young Adam is a 2003 film written and directed by David Mackenzie, based on the novel of the same name by Alexander Trocchi, which was first published in 1957. It is set in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1950s and stars Ewan McGregor.
The film follows the exploits of Joe (played by McGregor), a young drifter who has ended up working on one of Glasgow's river barges. It deals with lust and sin, as we see Joe move from one brief affair to the next as he tries to get away from a guilty secret. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Adam [Mar 2005]
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