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Loving Alasdair: the 39 years of my life with Alasdair Gray
£6.99
A tender, candid memoir of love, art, devotion, and the extraordinary life shared with one of Scotland’s most iconic artists.
May Hooper’s intimate portrait of her 39-year relationship with Alasdair Gray — revealing the man behind the murals, the novels, and the legend.
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About the Ebook
Loving Alasdair – The 39 Years of My Life with Alasdair Gray
This deeply personal memoir tells the story of the long, loving, and often unconventional relationship between May Hooper and celebrated Scottish artist and writer Alasdair Gray. Their story begins in the early 1980s at a party in Glasgow’s West End, where Gray — captivated by May’s striking presence — asked if he could draw or paint her. What began as an artist–model encounter soon blossomed into a friendship and partnership that would last nearly four decades.
May writes with honesty, humour, and warmth about their shared life: long walks, trips to the cinema, visits to the Edinburgh Book Festival, and excursions into the Scottish countryside. She offers rare insight into Gray’s creative world, including his work on murals in Glasgow and Dunfermline, where May’s partner Robert served as his assistant.
The memoir moves between the ordinary and the eccentric, the intimate and the artistic — always illuminating the character of one of Scotland’s most distinctive cultural figures. May also recounts the events leading to Gray’s hospitalisation and how she became the person who organised his home care, ensuring his final years were lived according to his wishes.
A moving, revealing portrait of love, loyalty, creativity, and the private life of a remarkable artist.
Why You'll Love This Ebook
- An intimate portrait of Alasdair Gray from someone who knew him best.
- A heartfelt memoir spanning 39 years of companionship, creativity, and care.
- Rich insight into Gray’s artistic process, murals, and literary connections.
- Warm, engaging storytelling from a natural observer of people and relationships.
- A Lexus Books memoir celebrating authentic, deeply personal life writing.
About the Author
May Hooper – Nurse, Social Worker, Artist, Memoirist
Born in Glasgow in 1951, May Hooper trained and worked as a nurse before moving into social work and later teaching social work practice at Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of Strathclyde. Now retired, she continues to paint, draw, and write.
She lives in Glasgow with her partner, Robert Salmon, who assisted Alasdair Gray in his mural work. Her memoir offers a rare, compassionate perspective on Gray’s life, art, and final years.
Publication Details
Publisher: Lexus Books
Publication Date: 18 October 2024
Print Length: 256 pages — Ebook edition
Format: Ebook
Language: English
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