Explore the life and work of Anthony Burgess in this special gathering at the author’s archive in Manchester. Burgess was a prolific novelist, composer, journalist and playwright. He grew up above a pub in Manchester, then travelled the world as a teacher before publishing his first novel at the age of 39. He was also a larger-than-life character, his reputation boosted by regular TV appearances and. most famously, his notorious novel A Clockwork Orange.

The collections at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation tells the story of a writer who never stopped working, despite illness and controversy. As he writes in his autobiography Little Wilson and Big God, ‘Wedged as we are between two eternities of idleness, there is no excuse for being idle now.”

The Foundation holds manuscripts, photographs, typewriters, vinyl records, notebooks, booze, pianos, a bust of his own head, and a seemingly endless collection of literary and artistic paraphernalia. Come and be surprised.

There are three Unboxing Anthony Burgess events. They are largely the same, but add a little extra to each one according to its date.

📦 The 22 February Unboxing will be the week of Burgess’s birthday

📦 The 23 April is the birthday of Burgess’s literary hero Shakespeare.

📦 The 22 June falls in the same week as Bloomsday, a day celebrating the works of his other great writing hero James Joyce.

The events start at 1pm. Tickets are free, but the capacity for each event is small to allow you close access to our artefacts. Therefore booking is essential.