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...a fleeting glimpse...
...a fleeting glimpse... depicts the inner most thoughts of Terence 'Teddy' Thorpe, a struggling writer, deconstructing the way in which his mind perceives reality. Disillusioned with life, Teddy, records his thoughts and dreams in a journal that is originally intended to be a parody of a self-help book. Along the journey he develops the idea of the journal becoming a tool to deconstruct and re-build the separation between the observer and external reality. Through the process of writing his journal, Teddy recounts many experiences, including a whole chapter on his childhood. Many of these childhood images are re-lived and edited to soothe emotionally charged moments of the present and past.
Teddy's journal takes aim at money, politics and religion, as he sees them as the pillars of western decay. Teddy creates a character in his journal based on a childhood friend who died tragically. Through this character, Teddy exorcises not only the pain and suffering felt through losing a childhood friend but also the pain experienced living in an indifferent Universe. Teddy is despondent with his life, restless and frustrated for not having any work published, so his parody of a self-help book is a means to demonise the shallow and unrealistic offerings of self-help authors and as a way of making a quick buck.
Teddy meets Nikki Preston, a corporate career woman. Their relationship enables them to see the world through each other's eyes. Nikki, in her own way, is also at a crossroads. Disenchanted with her increasing workload and her tyrannical money orientated bosses she starts to question her own motives and needs. They share a bizarre ESP or incident that draws them in together. They embark on a love affair which changes them both.
As Teddy continues his research he starts to think more deeply about the themes of modern life, in particular, money, politics and religion and begins to write his musings down. Soon his self-obsessed and narcissistic personality comes to the fore and he writes and writes in a cathartic but also de-constructive manner, taking apart the very foundations of thought, until he is left with only the sound of the intergalactic wind as his only solace. This becomes the metaphor for which he judges reality, for Teddy discovers that the only inescapable truth is - that which is without human perception.
The tone of the novel is tongue in cheek, and at times 'black' in humour. There are references to other literary works, music and art. In some respects my intention was to pay homage to works like 'The Tree of Man', 'Illywhacker' and 'Ulysses' but to also write an anti-novel - or antithesis - of a modern novel while at the same time paying tribute to the literary masters I have grown up with and love. Although there are dark elements to the novel ultimately the final message is of hope and renewal. The final stylistic element that epitomises the cyclic nature of the Universe is the last line of the novel flowing into the first line...
Teddy's journal takes aim at money, politics and religion, as he sees them as the pillars of western decay. Teddy creates a character in his journal based on a childhood friend who died tragically. Through this character, Teddy exorcises not only the pain and suffering felt through losing a childhood friend but also the pain experienced living in an indifferent Universe. Teddy is despondent with his life, restless and frustrated for not having any work published, so his parody of a self-help book is a means to demonise the shallow and unrealistic offerings of self-help authors and as a way of making a quick buck.
Teddy meets Nikki Preston, a corporate career woman. Their relationship enables them to see the world through each other's eyes. Nikki, in her own way, is also at a crossroads. Disenchanted with her increasing workload and her tyrannical money orientated bosses she starts to question her own motives and needs. They share a bizarre ESP or incident that draws them in together. They embark on a love affair which changes them both.
As Teddy continues his research he starts to think more deeply about the themes of modern life, in particular, money, politics and religion and begins to write his musings down. Soon his self-obsessed and narcissistic personality comes to the fore and he writes and writes in a cathartic but also de-constructive manner, taking apart the very foundations of thought, until he is left with only the sound of the intergalactic wind as his only solace. This becomes the metaphor for which he judges reality, for Teddy discovers that the only inescapable truth is - that which is without human perception.
The tone of the novel is tongue in cheek, and at times 'black' in humour. There are references to other literary works, music and art. In some respects my intention was to pay homage to works like 'The Tree of Man', 'Illywhacker' and 'Ulysses' but to also write an anti-novel - or antithesis - of a modern novel while at the same time paying tribute to the literary masters I have grown up with and love. Although there are dark elements to the novel ultimately the final message is of hope and renewal. The final stylistic element that epitomises the cyclic nature of the Universe is the last line of the novel flowing into the first line...
449 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2022
About the author
Miles Rothwell
15 books3 followersMiles Rothwell was born in Sydney, Australia in 1962. His first creative piece of writing was a short poem titled - Snow which impressed his school teacher so much he had to read it in front of his class mates which by all accounts was a terrifying experience.
When the band Talking Heads released 'Remain In Light', Miles became obsessed with writing lyrics. After reading Joyce's 'Ulysses', Miles knew he wanted to become an author. His first manuscript was written while living in Darlinghurst in the 1980's.
Miles wanted to be a musician but had neither the skill or aptitude to progress, so writing became an obsession trying to emulate the likes of Joyce, Proust, Pynchon and Patrick White.
Music is a constant theme in all his novels as Miles sees Music as Humankind's most artistic pursuit.
Favourite Books:
Ulysses - extraordinary, brilliant and full of risks.
Gravity's Rainbow - simply a work of genius
À la recherche du temps perdu - superb re-counting of detail taken to the most extreme level
Tree of Man - White at his best, there is something noble in the ordinariness of the characters.
Catch-22 - the book that changed my years in high school
The Glass Bead Game - pure genius and one of the most under rated novelists
Miles ranks making Spike Milligan laugh at an ABC shop book signing as one of his greatest personal moments.
When the band Talking Heads released 'Remain In Light', Miles became obsessed with writing lyrics. After reading Joyce's 'Ulysses', Miles knew he wanted to become an author. His first manuscript was written while living in Darlinghurst in the 1980's.
Miles wanted to be a musician but had neither the skill or aptitude to progress, so writing became an obsession trying to emulate the likes of Joyce, Proust, Pynchon and Patrick White.
Music is a constant theme in all his novels as Miles sees Music as Humankind's most artistic pursuit.
Favourite Books:
Ulysses - extraordinary, brilliant and full of risks.
Gravity's Rainbow - simply a work of genius
À la recherche du temps perdu - superb re-counting of detail taken to the most extreme level
Tree of Man - White at his best, there is something noble in the ordinariness of the characters.
Catch-22 - the book that changed my years in high school
The Glass Bead Game - pure genius and one of the most under rated novelists
Miles ranks making Spike Milligan laugh at an ABC shop book signing as one of his greatest personal moments.
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