In the Exile on Princes Street foreword to Rebus: The Early Years, Rankin says he wrote this book shortly after giving his father a James Kelman book (the type of book he was studying at the time) and being shocked when his father said it wasn't "written in English" and had no story; Rankin says this made him rethink what type of writer he wanted to be.
In the Exile on Princes Street foreword to Rebus: The Early Years, Rankin discusses writing this book shortly after giving his father a James Kelman book (the type of literature he was studying at the time) and being shocked by his father's reaction that it wasn't "written in English" and had no story; Rankin says this influenced his thoughts on what kind of writer he wanted to be.