<DIV>James Kelman is justly celebrated as a major European novelist, short story writer, and playwright. Yet crucially his "artistry, authenticity and a voice of singular power" (<I>Independent</I>) flow from being an engaged writer and a cultural and political activist. In this collection of essays, polemics, and talks, Kelman directs his linguistic craftsmanship and scathing humor at the racism, class bias, and elitism of the English literary scene, the Labour Party's establishment role, the treatment of asbestos victims, the media, and other political and cultural questions. Essays include "Artists and Value," "Art and Subsidy," "Some Recent Attacks on the Rights of the People," "A Brief Note on the War Being Waged Against the Victims of Asbestos," and "The Importance of Glasgow in My Work."<BR>James Kelman lives and will probably die in Glasgow.<br></DIV>