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My Present Age
Ed is punchy, unemployed, and on the wrong side of thirty. After his exasperated wife, Victoria, leaves him, Ed finds consolation where he has always found it, in his own rich and eccentric imagination. Pursued by the demons of his own obsession, Ed embarks on a quixotic quest to find Victoria. As he prowls the city’s parking garages and motel strips, Ed begins a journey back into his past and is forced – most reluctantly – to confront the web of lies and self-deceptions he has woven to keep reality at bay – until even his fantasies start to turn against him. Keenly observant, humane, and darkly comic, My Present Age is an irresistible story about what happens when an Everyman becomes a casualty of modern life.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
2 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Guy Vanderhaeghe
34 books197 followersGuy Clarence Vanderhaeghe, OC, SOM is a Canadian fiction author.
Vanderhaeghe received his Bachelor of Arts degree with great distinction in 1971, High Honours in History in 1972 and Master of Arts in History in 1975, all from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1978 he received his Bachelor of Education with great distinction from the University of Regina. In 1973 he was Research Officer, Institute for Northern Studies, University of Saskatchewan and, from 1974 until 1977, he worked as Archival and Library Assistant at the university. From 1975 to 1977 he was a freelance writer and editor and in 1978 and 1979 taught English and history at Herbert High School in Herbert, Saskatchewan. In 1983 and 1984 he was Writer-in-Residence with the Saskatoon Public Library and in 1985 Writer-in-Residence at the University of Ottawa. He has been a Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Ottawa (1985-86), faculty member of the Writing Program of the Banff Centre for the Arts (1990-91), faculty member in charge of senior fiction students in the SAGE Hills Creative Writing Program (1992). Since 1993 he has served as a visiting professor of English at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan.
Vanderhaeghe lives with his wife in Saskatoon.
Vanderhaeghe's first book, Man Descending: selected stories (1982), was winner of a Governor General's Award and the United Kingdom's Faber Prize. A novel, The Englishman's Boy (1996), won him a second Governor General's Award for Fiction and the Saskatchewan Book Award for Fiction and for Best Book of the Year, and it was shortlisted for both the Giller Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
He is perhaps best-known for The Last Crossing (2001), a national bestseller and winner of the Saskatoon Book Award, the Saskatchewan Book Awards for Fiction and for Book of the Year, and the Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award for Fiction Book of the Year. The novel was selected for the 2004 edition of Canada Reads as the book that should be read by all Canadians.
In 2003, Vanderhaeghe was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Vanderhaeghe received his Bachelor of Arts degree with great distinction in 1971, High Honours in History in 1972 and Master of Arts in History in 1975, all from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1978 he received his Bachelor of Education with great distinction from the University of Regina. In 1973 he was Research Officer, Institute for Northern Studies, University of Saskatchewan and, from 1974 until 1977, he worked as Archival and Library Assistant at the university. From 1975 to 1977 he was a freelance writer and editor and in 1978 and 1979 taught English and history at Herbert High School in Herbert, Saskatchewan. In 1983 and 1984 he was Writer-in-Residence with the Saskatoon Public Library and in 1985 Writer-in-Residence at the University of Ottawa. He has been a Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Ottawa (1985-86), faculty member of the Writing Program of the Banff Centre for the Arts (1990-91), faculty member in charge of senior fiction students in the SAGE Hills Creative Writing Program (1992). Since 1993 he has served as a visiting professor of English at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan.
Vanderhaeghe lives with his wife in Saskatoon.
Vanderhaeghe's first book, Man Descending: selected stories (1982), was winner of a Governor General's Award and the United Kingdom's Faber Prize. A novel, The Englishman's Boy (1996), won him a second Governor General's Award for Fiction and the Saskatchewan Book Award for Fiction and for Best Book of the Year, and it was shortlisted for both the Giller Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
He is perhaps best-known for The Last Crossing (2001), a national bestseller and winner of the Saskatoon Book Award, the Saskatchewan Book Awards for Fiction and for Book of the Year, and the Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award for Fiction Book of the Year. The novel was selected for the 2004 edition of Canada Reads as the book that should be read by all Canadians.
In 2003, Vanderhaeghe was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 26, 2025
Love Guy Vanderhaeghe, but really didn’t like this book. One long, introspective ramble from a supposedly brilliant misfit descending into obsession and madness. Neither that funny or interesting. And indulgently overwritten. I just wanted it to end. And when it did - even that wasn’t particularly satisfying. Glad he got this one out of his system so he could write the fantastic books that followed!
July 3, 2023
stringing together literary references does not make a novel. comparing characters to those of dostoevsky or drawing out a metaphor relating to the adventures of huckleberry finn does not make your book interesting. a string of pop culture references doesn’t make shallow writing complex. it’s just lazy.
September 25, 2021
3.5* maybe. Maybe 3.25*
Overall I liked this. I enjoyed the language used, which is at times is wordy and overdone, but in a way that very much works for the narration that's going on; it's always descriptive and imaginative. The conversation around mental illness is present throughout, and relatively well-done. None of the characters, except Stanley (and Benny, loved Benny's restaurant scene) are especially likeable, but they're all realistic.
This novel had two endings it could have gone for, and I'm ultimately very pleased with the path it chose to follow.
The main character reminded me uncomfortably of a former friend (our friendship ended last year due... A lot of the same reasons Ed's friendships ended), so that probably influenced a lot of my perspective on the novel.
Over all, a good book for Canadian fiction, which is a genre I generally don't care much for (I infinitely prefer genre fiction to just general fiction, and I find Canadian fiction typically a bit on the dull side).
Overall I liked this. I enjoyed the language used, which is at times is wordy and overdone, but in a way that very much works for the narration that's going on; it's always descriptive and imaginative. The conversation around mental illness is present throughout, and relatively well-done. None of the characters, except Stanley (and Benny, loved Benny's restaurant scene) are especially likeable, but they're all realistic.
This novel had two endings it could have gone for, and I'm ultimately very pleased with the path it chose to follow.
The main character reminded me uncomfortably of a former friend (our friendship ended last year due... A lot of the same reasons Ed's friendships ended), so that probably influenced a lot of my perspective on the novel.
Over all, a good book for Canadian fiction, which is a genre I generally don't care much for (I infinitely prefer genre fiction to just general fiction, and I find Canadian fiction typically a bit on the dull side).
November 22, 2024
After reading "Man Descending" I picked up Guy's second book. This book picks up from the short story about Ed and Victoria in "Man Descending" a collection of short stories. Interesting and engaging. I was hoping for Ed and Victoria and each of them traversing a difficult period, unfortunately human foibles prevailed.
May 1, 2009
I didn't find I enjoyed Vanderhaeghe's language as much as I usually did - certainly a much less challenging read than I'm used to from him. Still, his style's pretty good, and he keeps things moving along. Unfortunately, I'm again in a situation where I just don't care about any of the characters, including the protagonist - they all seemed annoying, selfish, and largely juvenile, and this really made it hard to become invested.
March 10, 2024
If I could rewind and never pick up this book I would. What a waste of time. The whole point of the story is Ed, a man who wants to find his ex wife who doesn’t want to be found. He’s a loser and there is nothing lovable about him. She doesn’t want to be found by him, he’s looking and calling all around for her. He was a shit husband and an irritating ex. What is the real purpose of this book besides learning new vocab words? I have no idea. It felt as if the character had ADHD and jumped from topic to topic so much that I sometimes forgot what the point was. Not worth the read.
December 11, 2017
The main character in My Present Age has a lot in common with the hero of A Confederacy of Dunces, which was published just 4 years earlier. Vanderhaeghe's writing and narrative are good enough to keep you going to the end of the story, although Ed never seems to achieve the quirky charm or purpose of Ignatius Reilly. The ending is a letdown.
October 10, 2019
Enjoyed this novel.
March 8, 2020
Quirky but ultimately satisfying.
March 2, 2021
Ed may be the most depressing person to spend time with. I liked the writing and I finished the book but it was not something I want to relive
April 1, 2008
I first read this book in about 1989, and have read it many times since. The Kierkegaard reference in the title is central, as are the two epigraphs from Kierkegaard that appeared in early editions of the novel.
It also helps if readers know Twain's Huck Finn.
It is a comic classic, largely because of Ed, the central character. In Ed the age has come to consciousness--which explains both his harsh criticism of his culture as well as his self loathing.
Good for both a few laughs, but even better for extended reflection.
It also helps if readers know Twain's Huck Finn.
It is a comic classic, largely because of Ed, the central character. In Ed the age has come to consciousness--which explains both his harsh criticism of his culture as well as his self loathing.
Good for both a few laughs, but even better for extended reflection.
June 27, 2012
Well, I just polished the last 30 pages and this totally redeemed itself. A curve ball made it worth all the crazy antics of the main character, all of which made him so human, relateable with a proper ending. Not everything coming full circle but instead an ending that is more likely to happen to any one of us. The bare emotions, brutal abuse from life itself is fantastic. Read this one to the end!
December 25, 2014
This is not up to the level of his other works, but there is some very good writing here. Ed is a failed writer, has failed at nearly everything in his life. His ex-wife has left him and is living with a more successful version of Ed and becomes pregnant. This throws Ed for a loop, as he desperately tries to re connect with Victoria. Some very human moments, and becomes a much stronger book in the last quarter.
May 30, 2012
I first read this back in high school. So, I'm actually rereading the copy that I forgot to return from back in the 80s.
Now that I've seen a bit more of life, I really like this book. The main character is interesting and pitiable all at the same time.
Now that I've seen a bit more of life, I really like this book. The main character is interesting and pitiable all at the same time.
June 3, 2008
Loved this book. Completely written from the neurotic male protagonist. A good read from something who enjoys crazy narrators
May 18, 2009
Wonderfully funny, with my kind of anti-hero, a reprobate who just can't stop himself.
August 9, 2011
Didn't do anything for me. Disappointed after The Englishman's Boy.
Read
June 4, 2012Read this and Lady Oracle in the same undergrad lit class. Loved and remembered both for a very long time afterwards.
May 10, 2016
An unemployed man’s wife leaves him as he becomes eluded with obsession.
November 8, 2024
Darkly comic, wry humor, brilliantly written.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews