Alasdair Gray
Alasdair James Gray was a Scottish writer and artist, widely regarded as a pivotal figure in Scottish literature.
His debut novel, Lanark (1981), is considered a landmark of Scottish fiction.
Gray's writing blended realism, fantasy, and science fiction in a postmodern style, drawing comparisons to Kafka and Borges.
He also painted murals and portraits, studying at Glasgow School of Art.
A civic nationalist and socialist, he championed Scottish independence.
His works inspired many younger Scottish writers, including Irvine Welsh and Iain Banks.
The Guardian described him as "the father figure of the renaissance in Scottish literature and art.".
