Synopses & Reviews
Joe, a 35-year-old advertising copywriter for a slick New York company, feels disillusioned with his life. Soon he starts dreaming of a mysterious man and, not long after, begins seeing him on the street and hearing his voice. The voice overwhelms Joe and he starts to listen to it, camping out on the front steps of his stoop, waiting for instructions. The media take note. And soon he has become a story, a media sensation, the centre of a storm. When the voice tells him to go West,” he does, all the while searching for this Man, this mysterious voice that wont leave him alone. Until it does.
Waiting for the Man is a compelling and viscerally emotional story about the struggle to find something more in life.
Review
Waiting for the Man is observant and clever, and doesnt take itself too seriously. Basu toys with his readers, pushing us away to point out the distance at which we hold the characters and stories that populate our pages and screens, and reminds us there is always more to the story.” Katia Grubisic in Montreal Review of Books
"Waiting for the Man is captivating, aggravating, enlightening and redemptive." Winnipeg Free Press
Review
That its hard to put down is a credit to Basus perfect sentences and clear sense of direction . . . I want to say that its reminiscent of Hemingway, but in a way that sounds nothing like him. It is, however, the perfect style for this novel, a retelling of the American Dream that Hemingway would never have understood.” National Post
Although this is the author's debut novel, his experience at shorter forms (Squishy) shows; fans of his 140-character Twisters on Twitter will be pleased to know that the author's talents are on display in this novel.” Publishers Weekly
Waiting for the Man is observant and clever, and doesnt take itself too seriously. Basu toys with his readers, pushing us away to point out the distance at which we hold the characters and stories that populate our pages and screens, and reminds us there is always more to the story.” Katia Grubisic in Montreal Review of Books
"Waiting for the Man is captivating, aggravating, enlightening and redemptive." Winnipeg Free Press
Perhaps the dark subtext to this entertaining novel is that movement is impossible, even for many seemingly privileged boys . . . Waiting for the Man hides a chilling truth under its light-hearted surface: the American Dream is a trap.” Quill and Quire
Synopsis
A surreal journey of a man who is searching for purpose and for happiness Joe, a 36-year-old advertising copywriter for a slick New York agency, feels disillusioned with his life. He starts dreaming of a mysterious man, seeing him on the street, and hearing his voice. Joe decides to listen to the Man and so he waits on his stoop, day and night, for instructions. A local reporter takes notice, and soon Joe has become a story, a media sensation, the centre of a storm. When the Man tells Joe to "go west," he does, in search of meaning. Waiting for the Man is a compelling and visceral story about the struggle to find something more in life, told in two interwoven threads -- Joe at the beginning of his journey in Manhattan, and at the end of it as he finds new purpose on a ranch in Montana under the endless sky.
About the Author
Arjun Basu is a writer and editor. In 2008, he published
Squishy, a collection of short stories that was shortlisted for the ReLit Prize. His stories have been published in literary journals across the country, including
Matrix and
Joyland. He also writes 140-character short stories he calls Twisters on Twitter (@ArjunBasu), an obsession that has won him a Shorty Award, lots of press, and a worldwide following. Arjun lives in Montreal with his wife, son, and dog. This is his first novel.