Martin Chilton
The Independent
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Martin:
The horrific car crash that almost killed Stevie Wonder, 50 years on: ‘His head was swollen up to about five times normal size’
Days after releasing ‘Innervisions’, Stevie Wonder narrowly escaped death. On the 50th anniversary of the car crash that nearly took the musician’s life, Martin Chilton chronicles that fateful day – and the road to recovery → Read More
Books of the month: From Colson Whitehead’s Crook Manifesto to Life Unseen by Serena Mills
Martin Chilton reviews the biggest new books for July in our monthly column → Read More
Alan Arkin was brilliant, difficult, spiritual and mysterious: ‘He’s always been underestimated’
As the Oscar-winning star of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’, ‘Argo’ and ‘Catch-22’ dies at the age of 89, Martin Chilton looks back at the life and career of an actor with exquisite timing, depth and deadpan delivery – and who had little time for the trinkets of stardom → Read More
Novelist Richard Ford on dyslexia, musical heroes and his heavyweight literary feuds: ‘At my age I can’t get into fistfights’
Richard Ford once spat at fellow novelist Colson Whitehead, and claims he’s hung up his boxing gloves for good. Martin Chilton finds him still up for a scrap and landing punches on Trump (‘pooch-lipped, virulent’), William Faulkner (’an awful little creature’) and his own literary legacy (‘a crock of s***). → Read More
Novelist Richard Ford on dyslexia, musical heroes and his heavyweight literary feuds: ‘At my age I can’t get into fistfights’
Richard Ford once spat at fellow novelist Colson Whitehead, and claims he’s hung up his boxing gloves for good. Martin Chilton finds him still still up for a scrap and landing punches on Trump (‘pooch-lipped, virulent’), William Faulkner (’an awful little creature’) and his own literary legacy (‘a crock of s***). → Read More
Cowboy with a killer phrase: the wild life and dazzling prose of Cormac McCarthy
He gave few interviews, read ‘Moby Dick’ eight times a year, and overcame penury and heavy drinking to deliver 12 novels full of grit, beauty and violence. Martin Chilton remembers American novelist Cormac McCarthy, who has died at the age of 89 → Read More
Books of the month: From Be Mine by Richard Ford to I am Homeless If This is Not My Home by Lorrie Moore
Martin Chilton reviews the biggest new books for June in our monthly column → Read More
Master stylist Martin Amis was the Mick Jagger of the literary world
The author of ‘Money’ and ‘The Rachel Papers’ once said that posterity was ‘no bloody use to me’, but his incisive novels and essays remain some of the most influential of his generation, writes Martin Chilton → Read More
Master stylist Martin Amis was the Mick Jagger of the literary world
The author of ‘Money’ and ‘The Rachel Papers’ once said that posterity was ‘no bloody use to me’, but his incisive novels and essays remain some of the most influential of his generation, writes Martin Chilton → Read More
Books of the month: From August Blue by Deborah Levy to Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer
Martin Chilton reviews the biggest new books for May in our monthly column → Read More
Books of the Month: From Shy by Max Porter to Michael Frayn’s memoir
Martin Chilton reviews the biggest new books for April in our monthly column → Read More
‘I’m an enormously talented man’: The life of born show-off Noel Coward
As a major new biography about Noel Coward is published half a century on from his death, Martin Chilton looks back on the life of the trailblazing playwright with ‘a talent to amuse’ → Read More
Books of the month: From Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton to Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry
Martin Chilton reviews the biggest new books for March in our monthly column → Read More
Books of the month: From Salman Rushdie to Blake Morrison
Martin Chilton reviews February’s biggest new books for our monthly column → Read More
Victory City by Salman Rushdie review: Stories outlast tyrants in this vibrant, sweeping tale
In his first novel since last summer’s brutal on-stage attack, Salman Rushdie’s exuberant writing remains a source of pleasure → Read More
Books of the month: From Jane Smiley to Michael Bracewell
Martin Chilton reviews January’s biggest books for our monthly column → Read More
The 20 best books of the year, from Claire Keegan to Jonathan Coe
Our chief book critic Martin Chilton picks his best 2022 reads, from clever essay collections and memoirs to captivating, prize-winning novels → Read More
Books of the month: Self-help, short stories and sea creatures
Martin Chilton reviews December’s biggest books for our monthly column → Read More
Books of the month: From Jonathan Coe’s Bournville to Bob Dylan’s essays
Martin Chilton reviews November’s biggest books for our monthly column → Read More
Booker Prize 2022 winner The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka is compelling about conflict – but not a simple read
Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka has won this year’s £50,000 prize for a metaphysical thriller about the horrors of civil war. It’s easy to see why the judges liked it, writes Martin Chilton, but a shame to see Claire Keegan miss out for her moving novella → Read More