A chilling novel that pays twisted homage to Defoes Robinson Crusoe. Newly reissued with an introduction from Neil Gaiman. Robert Maitland, a 35 year-old architect, is driving home from his London offices when a blow-out sends his speeding Jaguar hurtling out of control. Smashing through a temporary barrier he finds himself, dazed and disorientated, on a traffic island below three converging motorways. But when he tries to climb the embankment or flag-down a passing car for help it proves impossible and he finds himself imprisoned on the concrete island. Maitland must survive using only what he can find in his crashed car. As in all Ballards best work Concrete Island provides an unnerving study of our modern lives and world. With his alienating, Ballardian view of normal events, this is a unique novel from one of the twentieth centurys finest writers. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballards works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Zadie Smith, Adam Philips, Adam Thirlwell and Robert Macfarlane) and brand-new cover designs from the artist Stanley Donwood.