John Wilson dreamt of becoming a renowned composer. John sets aside music for literature, writing under the name Anthony Burgess. Decades later, alone once more in Manchester, he encounters three spectres from his past. They refer to him as Our Jackie, and he senses the facade of Burgess begin to crumble. Walking rain-soaked streets he is drawn back to his past lives in pre-independent Malaya, wartime London, 1960s Europe, and 1970s America. Traversing continents, this once working-class lad becomes one of twentieth century Europe's literary greats, but what of those left behind, and of those bound to him and is it possible to recreate your own history? We've dug three graves for you, Mr Burgess. One for your body, One for your books, And one for your ego.
