Description
Experience a captivating literary journey with the debut novel, Waypoints, by Adam Ouston. This BRAND NEW release from Puncher and Wattmann (ISBN: 9781922571243, Year: 2022) intricately weaves historical curiosity with the poignant themes of love and loss. Set against the backdrop of Harry Houdini’s ill-fated flight attempt in 1910, the novel invites readers to explore the forgotten heroics overshadowed by Houdini’s legacy. Follow Bernard Cripp, the world-weary heir to a faltering family circus, as he obsessively investigates every aspect of Houdini’s airborne endeavor. His quest is not purely historical; it uncovers the deeper sorrows of his life—mourning for a lost wife and child, and seeking solace in the turbulence of his past.
As Bernard’s narration unfolds, readers are drawn into a narrative that spans an eclectic range of topics—from Victorian vaudeville and Alzheimer’s history to the mechanics of human consciousness. Waypoints is both a relentless exploration of grief and an exhilarating celebration of ambition and remembrance. With a tone that balances the solemnity of W.G. Sebald and the energetic musings reminiscent of Thomas Bernhard, this novel offers an engaging reading experience, brimming with humor and insight.
Delight in Ouston's masterful storytelling and discover how the pursuit of history can help navigate personal tragedy and the search for peace. This book is a must-have addition for literature enthusiasts and fans of unique historical narratives.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
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: 9781922571243
Year: 2022
Publisher: Puncher and Wattmann
Description:
In 1910 the famed escapologist Harry Houdini made an ill-fated attempt to become the first person to fly an aircraft over Australian soil—yet while Houdini is remembered today for his failure, the true record-holder has been forgotten. This quirk of history becomes the focus for the obsessions of Bernard Cripp, world-weary scion of an ailing family circus, who tries to unearth every detail of Houdini’s flight in order to re-enact it. But why is Bernard so single-minded? As his manic testimony unspools, his story takes on a darker tone: he is, in fact, in mourning for a wife and child he has lost to the skies, and paralysed by the uncertainty surrounding their deaths. If his efforts to re-create history cannot bring back his loved ones, can they at least bring him peace as he struggles to live with his loss?
In Waypoints, his outlandish début novel, Adam Ouston embarks on a journey to reclaim a lost sense of awe and wonder from subjects as diverse as Victorian vaudeville and cutting-edge data storage, from the early history of Alzheimer’s disease to the immortality of human consciousness. Blending the solemnity of Sebald with the breathlessness of Bernhard, the result is equal parts rambunctious and ruminative, poignant and hilarious — a wild ride through a storm of grief, ambition, integrity, remembrance, and love.
'Artful, terrific, heaps of fun... Adam Ouston is hugely talented.' – Robbie Arnott
As Bernard’s narration unfolds, readers are drawn into a narrative that spans an eclectic range of topics—from Victorian vaudeville and Alzheimer’s history to the mechanics of human consciousness. Waypoints is both a relentless exploration of grief and an exhilarating celebration of ambition and remembrance. With a tone that balances the solemnity of W.G. Sebald and the energetic musings reminiscent of Thomas Bernhard, this novel offers an engaging reading experience, brimming with humor and insight.
Delight in Ouston's masterful storytelling and discover how the pursuit of history can help navigate personal tragedy and the search for peace. This book is a must-have addition for literature enthusiasts and fans of unique historical narratives.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
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: 9781922571243
Year: 2022
Publisher: Puncher and Wattmann
Description:
In 1910 the famed escapologist Harry Houdini made an ill-fated attempt to become the first person to fly an aircraft over Australian soil—yet while Houdini is remembered today for his failure, the true record-holder has been forgotten. This quirk of history becomes the focus for the obsessions of Bernard Cripp, world-weary scion of an ailing family circus, who tries to unearth every detail of Houdini’s flight in order to re-enact it. But why is Bernard so single-minded? As his manic testimony unspools, his story takes on a darker tone: he is, in fact, in mourning for a wife and child he has lost to the skies, and paralysed by the uncertainty surrounding their deaths. If his efforts to re-create history cannot bring back his loved ones, can they at least bring him peace as he struggles to live with his loss?
In Waypoints, his outlandish début novel, Adam Ouston embarks on a journey to reclaim a lost sense of awe and wonder from subjects as diverse as Victorian vaudeville and cutting-edge data storage, from the early history of Alzheimer’s disease to the immortality of human consciousness. Blending the solemnity of Sebald with the breathlessness of Bernhard, the result is equal parts rambunctious and ruminative, poignant and hilarious — a wild ride through a storm of grief, ambition, integrity, remembrance, and love.
'Artful, terrific, heaps of fun... Adam Ouston is hugely talented.' – Robbie Arnott