Running Wild

Published in 1988 by Hutchinson, Running Wild is a dystopian novella presented as a forensic diary by Dr. Richard Greville, a police psychiatrist. The narrative reconstructs the massacre of thirty-two adults in the exclusive gated community of Pangbourne Village. While police initially suspect outside terrorists, Greville uncovers the chilling truth that the murders were committed by the community’s own children. Ballard frames the violence as a rebellion against a regime of total kindness and constant surveillance, described as a “despotism of love” that leaves no room for emotional autonomy. The story ends with the children still at large, their escape hinting at a feral resistance directed at the adult world.

Signed copy. Signed by Ballard on the title page.

Hardcover. First Edition, First Printing. Octavo, quarter black cloth and brown boards with gilt lettering on front panel and spine. London: Hutchinson, 1988. ISBN: 0091734983. #10665.
Fine in fine dust jacket.