{"product_id":"fraction-of-the-whole","title":"Fraction of the Whole","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSteve Toltz's \u003ci\u003eA Fraction of the Whole\u003c\/i\u003e is a riotously funny explosion of a novel\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2008\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFrom his prison cell, Jasper Dean tells the unlikely story of his scheming father Martin, his crazy Uncle Terry and how the three of them upset - mostly unintentionally - an entire continent. Incorporating death, parenting (good and bad kinds), one labyrinth, first love, a handbook for criminals, a scheme to make everyone rich and an explosive suggestion box, Steve Toltz's \u003ci\u003eA Fraction of the Whole\u003c\/i\u003e is a hilarious, heartbreaking story of families and how to survive them. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e'A fat book but very light on its feet, skipping from anecdote, to rant, to reflection, like a stone skimming across a pond . . . it is brilliant' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Sparkling comic writing . . .It gives off the unmistakeable whiff of a book that might just contain the secret of life' \u003ci\u003eIndependent\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'With tinges of magical realism and buckets of misanthropic humour it's a clever and funny debut' \u003ci\u003eObserver\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e'If first novels were sandwiches, Steve Toltz's would be a juicy, swaggering doorstop of a sarnie, overflowing with eccentrically combined but delicious ingredients . . . Toltz is a superb phrase-maker with an acute eye for humanity's shortfalls'Big Issue \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSteve Toltz was born in Sydney. After graduating from Newcastle University in 1994, he has lived in Sydney, Montreal, Vancouver, Barcelona and Paris, working primarily as a screenwriter and freelance writer, but also doing stints as both a private investigator and an English teacher. \u003ci\u003eA Fraction of the Whole \u003c\/i\u003eis his first book.","brand":"Steve Toltz","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47274443702508,"sku":"9780385521734","price":24.53,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":47274443735276,"sku":"9780385665544","price":35.03,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0684\/1791\/3068\/files\/9780385521734.jpg?v=1770161256","url":"https:\/\/allstora.com\/products\/fraction-of-the-whole","provider":"Allstora","version":"1.0","type":"link"}