Nobody's Empire

'As memorable as it is moving.' The Times 'A marvellous coming of age novel.' ROBERT FORSTER 'His most personal work to date . . . poignant but also darkly humorous.' Irish Times, Lauren Murphy From the West Coast of Scotland to the West Coast of America, the life-affirming debut by the Belle & Sebastian frontman. Glasgow, early 1990s, and Stephen - music-loving romantic - has emerged from a hospital stay, diagnosed with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a little-understood disease. He meets fellow strugglers, for whom the world seems to care less and less, and they form their own support group as they try to navigate their lives. Starting to write songs, albeit in a slow and fledgling way, Stephen wakes to the possibility of a spiritual and artistic life. Leaving Glasgow in search of the mythic warmth of California, he and his friend Richard float between hostels, sofas and park benches. Could the trip offer them both a new beginning?

Stuart Murdoch is the lead singer and songwriter for the iconic Glasgow-based band Belle and Sebastian. Since forming in the mid-1990s, the band has released twelve studio albums to high acclaim, including If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy With the Arab Strap. In 2012 Murdoch scripted, composed, and directed the movie God Help the Girl. An outspoken advocate for sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Murdoch is also an Ambassador for the Open Medicine Foundation working to promote awareness of ME/CFS.