Godina izdanja: Ostalo
ISBN: Ostalo
Jezik: Engleski
Autor: Strani

John Healy - The Grass Arena
An Autobiography

Kingpin, 2007.
Meki povez, 194 strane.
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The Grass Arena is an autobiography that was made into a British film released in 1991.[1] It is based on the true story of John Healy.[2] The book had been out of print for a number of years, but was re-issued on 31 July 2008.[3]
Storyline

Raised in a religious family with an abusive father, young Johnny soon learns that he has to defend himself. He takes up boxing, but soon falls victim to alcoholism. His boxing career over, John takes to the `Grass Arena`, parks where he lives with other alcoholics. His life descends into an horrific journey of homeless alcoholism and the associated lifestyle of crime and jail and danger. Amongst other events, he describes being given the drug Antabuse in a clinical trial of some kind.

In jail a fellow inmate teaches him chess and he demonstrates an extraordinary ability at the game. He is soon beating grandmasters and having his games published in newspapers. Thus he is redeemed by the game. Healy is played by Mark Rylance in the film, which also features Pete Postlethwaite.[4]
Releases

The BBC film adaptation was released on DVD by Simply Media in 2018.[5]

John Healy (born 1943) is a writer and former tournament chess player.
Early life and personal life

He was born in London in 1943[1] to Irish immigrant parents in London`s Kentish Town. Leaving school at the age of 14, he spent his formative years in the army, where he had a successful boxing career. Dishonourably discharged for drunkenness, resisting the guard and going absent without leave, Healy began a downward spiral that brought him into the subculture of London`s homeless street drinkers. He spent fifteen years as a homeless alcoholic and was convicted of many petty crimes during this time.[1]
Chess

While serving his last prison sentence in Pentonville prison, Healy learned the game of chess from his cellmate Harry Collins, a burglar otherwise known as The Brighton Fox.[2] Finding that he had a special aptitude for the game, he decided to give up drinking and with the help of his former Probation Officer, Clive Soley (now Clive Soley, Baron Soley), he made his first moves back into normal life. He has remained sober since.

His chess career continued for ten years and despite the ravages of his years spent on the streets he became a highly rated player, capable of playing four games simultaneously whilst wearing a blindfold and several games simultaneously with sight of the boards.

In 2010, his book `Coffeehouse Chess Tactics` was published by the well-known chess publishing house New in Chess,[3] and was shortlisted for the Guardian Chess Book of the Year.[4]
The Grass Arena
Main article: The Grass Arena

Having given up his ambition of becoming a Grandmaster, Healy retired from tournament chess and began to write his life story, which was published in 1988 by Faber and Faber.[4] The Grass Arena was instantly recognised as a classic of the memoir genre, and won many awards including the J. R. Ackerley Award for Literary Autobiography.[5] This was the first book in the history of the prize to win the award outright.
Film

In 1990 Healy`s autobiography was adapted into a film of the same name that won many major international awards, including the inaugural Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature at the Edinburgh Film Festival.[6][7]

A documentary about Healy`s life and work, titled Barbaric Genius, directed by Paul Duane and produced by Screenworks Film and TV premiered at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival in 2011.[8] It was nominated for the 2012 Grierson Documentary Award.
Dispute

Following a dispute with Faber and Faber in 1991, the book was taken out of print in the UK, and remained so until 2008 when it was republished as a Penguin Classic.[9] It remained in print, however, in France, where it is published by Gallimard.[10]

The Grass Arena was republished in 2008 with a new introduction by actor Daniel Day-Lewis.[11]