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Fraction of the Whole : A Novel by Steve Toltz (2008, Trade Paperback)
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Fraction of the Whole, Paperback by Toltz, Steve, ISBN 0385521731, ISBN-13 9780385521734, Brand New, Free shipping in the US After his father's death, Jasper reflects on Martin Dean, the man who had raised him in intellectual captivity and spent his entire life analyzing absolutely everything, and describes his unusual boyhood, colorful family members, father's failed battle to make a lasting impression on the world, and their many adventures together. A first novel. Reprint. 40,000 first printing.
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
ISBN-100385521731
ISBN-139780385521734
eBay Product ID (ePID)66796774
Product Key Features
Book TitleFraction of the Whole : a Novel
Number of Pages576 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicSagas, Family Life, Literary, Humorous / General
Publication Year2008
GenreFiction
AuthorSteve Toltz
FormatTrade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height1.3 in
Item Weight15.4 Oz
Item Length8 in
Item Width5.2 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
TitleLeadingA
Dewey Edition22
Reviews"Comic drive and Steve Toltz's far-out imagination carry the epic story . . . a nutty tour de force." -Publishers Weekly, starred review "This hilarious, sneaky smart first novel is as big and rangy as Australia . . . Toltz salts it all with uproarious ruminations on freedom, the soul, love, death, and the meaning of life. This is one rampaging and irresistible debut." -Booklist, starred review "A fantastic, rollicking adventure of a novel, both startlingly original and hysterically funny. Surely this is the new picaresque, rivaling Ignatius Reilly and Billy Bathgate." -David Francis, author of The Great Inland Sea
Dewey DecimalFIC
SynopsisMeet the Deans "The fact is, the whole of Australia despises my father more than any other man, just as they adore my uncle more than any other man. I might as well set the story straight about both of them . . ." Heroes or Criminals? Crackpots or Visionaries? Families or Enemies? ". . . Anyway, you know how it is. Every family has a story like this one." Most of his life, Jasper Dean couldn't decide whether to pity, hate, love, or murder his certifiably paranoid father, Martin, a man who overanalyzed anything and everything and imparted his self-garnered wisdom to his only son. But now that Martin is dead, Jasper can fully reflect on the crackpot who raised him in intellectual captivity, and what he realizes is that, for all its lunacy, theirs was a grand adventure. As he recollects the events that led to his father's demise, Jasper recounts a boyhood of outrageous schemes and shocking discoveries--about his infamous outlaw uncle Terry, his mysteriously absent European mother, and Martin's constant losing battle to make a lasting mark on the world he so disdains. It's a story that takes them from the Australian bush to the cafes of bohemian Paris, from the Thai jungle to strip clubs, asylums, labyrinths, and criminal lairs, and from the highs of first love to the lows of failed ambition. The result is a rollicking rollercoaster ride from obscurity to infamy, and the moving, memorable story of a father and son whose spiritual symmetry transcends all their many shortcomings. A Fraction of the Whole is an uproarious indictment of the modern world and its mores and the epic debut of the blisteringly funny and talented Steve Toltz., Meet the Deans "The fact is, the whole of Australia despises my father more than any other man, just as they adore my uncle more than any other man. I might as well set the story straight about both of them . . ." Heroes or Criminals? Crackpots or Visionaries? Families or Enemies? ." . . Anyway, you know how it is. Every family has a story like this one." Most of his life, Jasper Dean couldn't decide whether to pity, hate, love, or murder his certifiably paranoid father, Martin, a man who overanalyzed anything and everything and imparted his self-garnered wisdom to his only son. But now that Martin is dead, Jasper can fully reflect on the crackpot who raised him in intellectual captivity, and what he realizes is that, for all its lunacy, theirs was a grand adventure. As he recollects the events that led to his father's demise, Jasper recounts a boyhood of outrageous schemes and shocking discoveries--about his infamous outlaw uncle Terry, his mysteriously absent European mother, and Martin's constant losing battle to make a lasting mark on the world he so disdains. It's a story that takes them from the Australian bush to the cafes of bohemian Paris, from the Thai jungle to strip clubs, asylums, labyrinths, and criminal lairs, and from the highs of first love to the lows of failed ambition. The result is a rollicking rollercoaster ride from obscurity to infamy, and the moving, memorable story of a father and son whose spiritual symmetry transcends all their many shortcomings. A Fraction of the Whole is an uproarious indictment of the modern world and its mores and the epic debut of the blisteringly funny and talented Steve Toltz.
LC Classification NumberPR9619.4.T65F73 2008
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Ratings and Reviews
Most relevant reviews
- May 15, 2018
Made it half way through...
This book had been recommended to me by someone who has recommended many fine books in the past, so I'm really confused. I tried really hard to get into it, but could only tolerate half of it before just giving up. Horrible "story" - disjointed, and abominable characters. Really can't understand some of the reviews saying how funny it was on every page - guess I don't have their sense of humor.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
