Tracey Emin.
2005.
Strangeland is the life account of the, although debatable, talented artist Tracey Emin. The book, split into three parts Motherland, Fatherland and Traceyland, is an insight into the the back-story of the experiences that allowed her to produce such controversial and personal pieces. From abortion, eating disorders and rape to her infamous Channel 4 appearance, this book definitely gives a different perspective into the life she has lived.
Having previously already been a huge fan of Tracey Emins artwork and finding myself creating similar content in my own work, it was no surprise that I found Strangeland to be a extremely compelling book. It's a capturing story and at times you forget that it is essentially a biography and not a fiction. Just like her art, it is a book where the genre is very small. It is very hard to find such honest words on subjects that rarely ever get publicised, which I feel makes this book all the more better. As a whole, I see this book as a another piece of artwork from Emin just in written form.
The book itself is an easy read and when reading it in a day on a train journey to and from London, I did find myself genuinely unable to put it down. At times it is very hard to follow as it leaps from one year to a whole other however in the authors note at the back it states 'I feel it would be unreasonable for anyone to read a book that had spelling mistakes throughout. It was my decision to have my spelling corrected.' this, to me, just gives meaning to the sporadically placed chapters and adds more of her own character to the book.
This a piece that all Emin fans must read, all those that have negative views towards Emin must definitely read, those who have not heard of her or her art should give this book a try before they look into her for a different context towards her and those who are just looking for a book with controversial themes could look into as a simple fiction.
