Description
Explore the captivating world of 'Coach Fitz,' the debut novel by acclaimed author Tom Lee, celebrated as one of Sydney Morning Herald's Best Young Australian Novelists in 2019. This contemporary narrative revolves around a young jogger who navigates the complexities of life, love, and mentorship through his relationship with an older woman known as Coach Fitz. As both a mentor and a romantic partner, she introduces him to a unique philosophy of running that melds 'controlled intensity' with an inquisitive exploration of urban landscapes and their rich histories. The novel intricately paints the allure of Sydney's city beaches and parks while delving into the protagonist's obsessions with fitness routines, ancestral legacies, outdoor gyms, and more.
As their relationship fractures over pressing issues, the young jogger finds himself stepping into a coaching role, guiding a new protégé and reflecting on his emotional, athletic, and intellectual pursuits. 'Coach Fitz' offers readers a thought-provoking exploration of the outdoor mentality that pervades Australian culture. It is a poignant reminder of the intertwining paths of youth, ambition, and the challenges that shape our journeys. With beautifully crafted prose, Tom Lee weaves together themes of exercise, emotional complexity, and the landscape's impact on personal growth.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Condition: BRAND NEW. ISBN: 9781925336900. Year: 2018. Publisher: Giramondo Publishing.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781925336900
Year: 2018
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing
Description:
Tom Lee is one of Sydney Morning Herald's Best Young Australian Novelists 2019
One of the strangest
and most appealing novels you will read this year!
Tom Lee's first novel is about a young jogger who is in a relationship
with an older woman. She is both his coach and his mentor. Coach Fitz, as he
calls her, seeks to instil a philosophy of running which combines 'controlled
intensity' with a curiosity about places and their histories. A country boy, he
is fascinated by the landscapes of the city beaches and parks through which they
travel. And he has his own obsessions – with exercise routines, ancestral
legacies, outdoor gyms, horse-racing, weather conditions and inner-city eating
habits. Then, suddenly, their relationship falls apart, over the issue of sex –
and he becomes a coach and mentor in turn, to a young man this time, as he attempts
to orchestrate an ideal expression of his emotional, athletic and intellectual
urges.
Coach Fitz is an exploration of the outdoor mentality that plays
such a dominant role in the Australian psyche. It is remarkable for its
observations about landscape and physical exercise, embedded in the training
routines and dialogues of the runners. But most of all it is about the emotions
and aspirations of youth, and the complications these engender.
'This quirky debut novel by Tom Lee is a wonderfully strange patchwork of psychobabble, self-help buzzwords and technocratic jargon...There's an easy matter-of-factness here, a flatness of affect reminiscent of the work of Gerald Murnane.' — The Saturday Paper
As their relationship fractures over pressing issues, the young jogger finds himself stepping into a coaching role, guiding a new protégé and reflecting on his emotional, athletic, and intellectual pursuits. 'Coach Fitz' offers readers a thought-provoking exploration of the outdoor mentality that pervades Australian culture. It is a poignant reminder of the intertwining paths of youth, ambition, and the challenges that shape our journeys. With beautifully crafted prose, Tom Lee weaves together themes of exercise, emotional complexity, and the landscape's impact on personal growth.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Condition: BRAND NEW. ISBN: 9781925336900. Year: 2018. Publisher: Giramondo Publishing.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781925336900
Year: 2018
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing
Description:
Tom Lee is one of Sydney Morning Herald's Best Young Australian Novelists 2019
One of the strangest
and most appealing novels you will read this year!
Tom Lee's first novel is about a young jogger who is in a relationship
with an older woman. She is both his coach and his mentor. Coach Fitz, as he
calls her, seeks to instil a philosophy of running which combines 'controlled
intensity' with a curiosity about places and their histories. A country boy, he
is fascinated by the landscapes of the city beaches and parks through which they
travel. And he has his own obsessions – with exercise routines, ancestral
legacies, outdoor gyms, horse-racing, weather conditions and inner-city eating
habits. Then, suddenly, their relationship falls apart, over the issue of sex –
and he becomes a coach and mentor in turn, to a young man this time, as he attempts
to orchestrate an ideal expression of his emotional, athletic and intellectual
urges.
Coach Fitz is an exploration of the outdoor mentality that plays
such a dominant role in the Australian psyche. It is remarkable for its
observations about landscape and physical exercise, embedded in the training
routines and dialogues of the runners. But most of all it is about the emotions
and aspirations of youth, and the complications these engender.
'This quirky debut novel by Tom Lee is a wonderfully strange patchwork of psychobabble, self-help buzzwords and technocratic jargon...There's an easy matter-of-factness here, a flatness of affect reminiscent of the work of Gerald Murnane.' — The Saturday Paper