Lanark: A Life in 4 Books is a book by
Alasdair Gray in which Duncan Thaw (a
semi autobiographical character) lives, dies, and continues to live as Lanark in the city of
Unthank.
Beginning with Book 3, moving to a Prologue, then continuing with Book 1, an Interlude, Book 2, an Epilogue, and finally Book 4, makes Lanark an intensely confusing novel. Duncan Thaw and Lanark struggle with love, sex, politics, and the horrible futility of existence. Written over a period of 40 years, it was repeatedly rejected by publishers before being picked up by Canongate.
Also a city in Scotland which makes the existence of Unthank and it's relationship to Glasgow especially confusing.