Martin Amis has a reputation as a literary bad boy and has caused a stir in a recent interview with a French magazine talking about the 'moral decrepitude of England' and saying he would 'prefer not to be English'. It's not the first time Amis has courted controversy: he offended Muslims by saying they 'ought to suffer until they get their house in order' and earlier this year he riled children's authors by saying 'If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children's book'. Those who've met him, however, say he can be charming and he commands the loyalty of several high profile friends.