A Fraction of the Whole - Steve Toltz

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About Steve Toltz

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A Fraction of the Whole

» Steve Toltz

Hamish Hamilton
Hardback : 29 May 2008

£17.99

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Synopsis

Martin Dean spent his entire life analyzing absolutely everything – from the benefits of suicide to the virtues of strip clubs and passing on his self-taught knowledge to his son, Jasper. But now that his father's dead, Jasper can fully reflect on the man who raised him in intellectual captivity, and the irony is this: theirs was a great adventure.

As he recollects the extraordinary events that led to his father's demise, Jasper recounts a boyhood of outrageous schemes and shocking discoveries – about his infamous criminal uncle, his mysteriously absent mother, and Martin's constant battle to leave his mark on the world. From the Australian bush to the cafes of Paris; from the highs of first love to the lows of failed ambition, this is an unforgettable, rollicking and deeply moving family story.

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Critic Review:

"Exuberant, utterly brilliant first novel. Booker, anyone?"
The Times.

'Dazzling...A teeming, hilarious and constantly inventive trawl through the ills and graces of modern society. With a writing style so compelling it recalls a softer-boiled Raymond Chandler and a still-funny Woody Allen, Toltz has delivered a book so compulsive you'll even forgive him for the cramps in your arms.'
Word magazine