Manchester’s International Anthony Burgess Foundation is a must-visit; not only does it contain the great man’s archive with many gems available for inspection, but in the cafe/foyer there are Burgess’ own author’s copies of his books for sale.

Copy from Burgess' collection bought at the IABF.

The IABF cafe/foyer.

Display of hardbacks from the Burgess archive.

Burgess in a Manchester pub and preparing a meal for his son Paolo Andrea.

I picked up an early 70s Penguin edition of The Malayan Trilogy (with Roger Bentley cover), a pristine Earthly Powers paperback (mine is very dog-eared) and the fully illustrated Shakespeare reader published in 1970 by this son of Moss Side.

IABF archive: The William Foster harpsichord as featured in the opening scene of Earthly Powers.

The 1973 guide to Joycean linguistics.

Burgess' typewriters.

Will And Testament, the 1977 collaboration with Joe Tilson limited to 86 copies of a bound fragment of autobiography with eight prints.

Portrait of Liana Burgess (1929-2007), IABF benefactrix.

Set up by director/Burgess biographer Andrew Biswell in 2003 at the behest of the author’s late widow Liana, the IABF moved into the light-filled Engine House in Chorlton Mill this year.

Here it hosts a variety of events – readings, book launches, performances, discussions – as well as tours of the archive and usage of the reading room.

Poster for 1985 photographic exhibition.

Notes, manuscripts and copy of the Penguin edition of the 1971 novel MF (sometimes M/F).

The author's recorders and music for Three Little Pieces, published posthumously, 1994.

Blockbuster writer Judith Krantz was a Monaco neighbour and asked Burgess' advice for 1987 bestseller I'll Take Manhattan.

70s poster for talk by Burgess at Berkeley USC.

First edition, 1962. Cover design: Barry Trengrove.

Burgess reads extracts from A Clockwork Orange, Caedmon, 1973.

The Foundation is in the process of refreshing its website; the new version will be up and running by the end of the month.

Director Biswell and his team are also gearing up for the 2012 semicentennial of the publication of A Clockwork Orange as they continue the enviable task of surveying this vast and fascinating personal collection.

Contact the IABF at info@anthonyburgess.org

Tags: 1962, 1971, 1977, A Clockwork Orange, Andrew Biswell, Barry Trengrove, Caedmon, Earthly Powers, Engine House, I'll Take Manhattan, International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Joe Tilson, Joysprick, Judith Krantz, Liana Burgess, MF, Monaco, Paolo Andrea Burgess, Shakespeare, The Malayan Trilogy, Will And Testament