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Man and Other Natural Disasters
Simon Peters, a bookbinder full of theories on everything from heart—broken shrimp to the consciousness of DNA, is hiding from his horrific past in the basement of the Calgary City Library. Enter Minerva, a twenty—two year—old student. Her ghostly resemblance to Simon’s dead sister compels him to slowly reveal the shocking story of the various natural disasters that killed his family.But Simon’s story does not add up. When he finds Minerva bleeding on his bathroom floor, he must conquer the tyranny of his own memory and confront what really happened that summer of 1962.?ut the truth proves no less confounding, or tragic, than the original tale.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Nerys Parry
2 books18 followersNerys Parry’s writing has aired on CBC radio and appeared in diverse publications. Her work has been shortlisted for the Kenneth R. Wilson Canadian Business Press Award, FreeFall’s Fall Fiction Contest, and the Event Non-Fiction Award. Man & Other Natural Disasters, finalist for the Colophon Prize, is her first novel. Parry holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from Queen’s and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from UBC. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, two children, one dog, two cats and her son's colony of ants.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 8, 2014
What treat to read a book without a predictable plot line. It would be an injustice to talk too much about it, so I'm going to charge you to read it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
Here's a link to an excellent review of this book.
http://www.opinionless.com/book-revie...
Here's a link to an excellent review of this book.
http://www.opinionless.com/book-revie...
September 27, 2011
This book is amazing from start to finish.
February 2, 2012
Update: On Feb. 1 2012, Great Plains Publications became a Featured Advertiser at Pickle Me This. This review was published prior to our relationship. Pickle Me This does not publish sponsored posts, and all opinions expressed on the site are my own.
“I’m reading a really wonderful book,” is something I kept telling people last week as I was reading Nerys Parry’s first novel Man and Other Natural Disasters. Then of course I’d be asked what it was about, and every time I came up short with an answer, never did manage to do the novel justice. Because it’s hard to explain, this book, though it might help if you imagine a diagram. At its centre is Simon Peters, who works in the basement of the Calgary Public Library in Book Repair and Maintenance. He’s a loner, repairing broken books with precision, unable to navigate the ins and outs of society, so suited to the solitude of the job.
Now imagine a series of points around the Simon-centre, each one an idea with an arrow directed at Simon himself. From these various ideas, Parry reveals Simon to us, in all his multifacetedness and impenetrability. The first is Simon’s homelife, lived in an apartment with denim curtains in the kitchen and lined with hundreds of hoarded books. Simon lives with Claude, who we’re told at the outset is in decline and will eventually die of a stroke. It’s not clear what the relationship is between the two men, except that Claude once gave Simon shelter when he was homeless, that he gave Simon work in construction building skyscrapers high over Calgary, and that the two have been companions for over thirty years.
The second point is Simon’s past, which he begins to reveal when he meets a new colleague at work, a young woman called Minerva who bears an uncanny resemblance to Simon’s sister who was lost years ago. The sister had been killed in a fire, the first of three tragedies in which Simon’s family would be devoured by the elements– his father was later killed in a mine collapse, and his mother disappeared by air not long afterwards when a tornado touched down on their prairie ranch. So of course, Simon tells Minerva and us also, he now knows how he himself will die, and we also understand the trauma that caused his unusual shock of white hair.
But here’s the third point: the centre cannot hold. With the resurfacing of his tragic memories coupled with the loss of Claude, cracks begin to show in Simon’s vaneer. Is there a sinister element to his relationship with the older man? What about the violence he hints at in his childhood? What is his attraction to Minerva,. and why does the memory of his sister have such a powerful hold upon him? Could the stories he tells really be true? Is Simon actually dangerous?
Point four: a breakdown occurs when Simon discovers Minerva drenched in blood on his bathroom floor, and an alternate history is revealed through psychiatric records and Simon recounting sessions with his therapists.
And the fifth point is the story of the Doukhobor people in Western Canada, a religious sect whose children were interned and abused in residential schools during the 1950s. This atrocity was thought to be an answer to and (by the Doukhobors themselves) regarded as justification for acts of terrorism by an extremist Doukhobor group against government measures for assimilation. How exactly this story connects to Simon is best revealed by the novel itself, but the connection promises to add a layer of depth to a story that is interesting already.
The first half of the novel is an assemblage of mismatched pieces narrated by a man who seems autistic, which results in strange and stilted pacing. In places, the dialogue is weak, which only stands out because the prose in general is so remarkably good. (Though that a conversation with a man like Simon involves weak dialogue is not altogether surprising, but still, there is too much telling [us] going on here). Nerys Parry’s writing is gorgeous thoughout, passages that beg to be read over and over for the gloriousness of their descriptions, as when Simon puts forth the circumstances of his birth:
After nine months of immersion in the temperate, nutrient-rich fluid of the womb, the first breath an infant takes burns its virgin throat like acid. Then there is the lashing of light, the spanking of cold. To recreate the experience, drink a glass of double strength cidar vinegar through your nose, dive in a bath of ice and stare directly at a hundred-watt light-bulb without blinking. You can see why not too many come into this world smiling.
Following Simon’s breakdown, the pace picks up and the rest of the novel proceeds in a flurry of action. And it’s perhaps this disjointedness that makes the novel so hard to explain, which is not a flaw so much as the result of Parry fitting so many pieces together, of taking on the challenge of documenting psychological trauma, and attempting a novel whose shape is all its own. The effect is curiously imperfect, but impressive. Parry is a richly talented writer, and her first novel is an absorbing, rewarding read.
“I’m reading a really wonderful book,” is something I kept telling people last week as I was reading Nerys Parry’s first novel Man and Other Natural Disasters. Then of course I’d be asked what it was about, and every time I came up short with an answer, never did manage to do the novel justice. Because it’s hard to explain, this book, though it might help if you imagine a diagram. At its centre is Simon Peters, who works in the basement of the Calgary Public Library in Book Repair and Maintenance. He’s a loner, repairing broken books with precision, unable to navigate the ins and outs of society, so suited to the solitude of the job.
Now imagine a series of points around the Simon-centre, each one an idea with an arrow directed at Simon himself. From these various ideas, Parry reveals Simon to us, in all his multifacetedness and impenetrability. The first is Simon’s homelife, lived in an apartment with denim curtains in the kitchen and lined with hundreds of hoarded books. Simon lives with Claude, who we’re told at the outset is in decline and will eventually die of a stroke. It’s not clear what the relationship is between the two men, except that Claude once gave Simon shelter when he was homeless, that he gave Simon work in construction building skyscrapers high over Calgary, and that the two have been companions for over thirty years.
The second point is Simon’s past, which he begins to reveal when he meets a new colleague at work, a young woman called Minerva who bears an uncanny resemblance to Simon’s sister who was lost years ago. The sister had been killed in a fire, the first of three tragedies in which Simon’s family would be devoured by the elements– his father was later killed in a mine collapse, and his mother disappeared by air not long afterwards when a tornado touched down on their prairie ranch. So of course, Simon tells Minerva and us also, he now knows how he himself will die, and we also understand the trauma that caused his unusual shock of white hair.
But here’s the third point: the centre cannot hold. With the resurfacing of his tragic memories coupled with the loss of Claude, cracks begin to show in Simon’s vaneer. Is there a sinister element to his relationship with the older man? What about the violence he hints at in his childhood? What is his attraction to Minerva,. and why does the memory of his sister have such a powerful hold upon him? Could the stories he tells really be true? Is Simon actually dangerous?
Point four: a breakdown occurs when Simon discovers Minerva drenched in blood on his bathroom floor, and an alternate history is revealed through psychiatric records and Simon recounting sessions with his therapists.
And the fifth point is the story of the Doukhobor people in Western Canada, a religious sect whose children were interned and abused in residential schools during the 1950s. This atrocity was thought to be an answer to and (by the Doukhobors themselves) regarded as justification for acts of terrorism by an extremist Doukhobor group against government measures for assimilation. How exactly this story connects to Simon is best revealed by the novel itself, but the connection promises to add a layer of depth to a story that is interesting already.
The first half of the novel is an assemblage of mismatched pieces narrated by a man who seems autistic, which results in strange and stilted pacing. In places, the dialogue is weak, which only stands out because the prose in general is so remarkably good. (Though that a conversation with a man like Simon involves weak dialogue is not altogether surprising, but still, there is too much telling [us] going on here). Nerys Parry’s writing is gorgeous thoughout, passages that beg to be read over and over for the gloriousness of their descriptions, as when Simon puts forth the circumstances of his birth:
After nine months of immersion in the temperate, nutrient-rich fluid of the womb, the first breath an infant takes burns its virgin throat like acid. Then there is the lashing of light, the spanking of cold. To recreate the experience, drink a glass of double strength cidar vinegar through your nose, dive in a bath of ice and stare directly at a hundred-watt light-bulb without blinking. You can see why not too many come into this world smiling.
Following Simon’s breakdown, the pace picks up and the rest of the novel proceeds in a flurry of action. And it’s perhaps this disjointedness that makes the novel so hard to explain, which is not a flaw so much as the result of Parry fitting so many pieces together, of taking on the challenge of documenting psychological trauma, and attempting a novel whose shape is all its own. The effect is curiously imperfect, but impressive. Parry is a richly talented writer, and her first novel is an absorbing, rewarding read.
October 5, 2013
Smell The Book Review
8.5 out of 10.
Man and Other natural Disasters is the first book from Ottawa author Nerys Parry. I was introduced to Ms. Parry through a Toronto based publishing agent. Living in Ottawa, Ms. Parry was kind enough to visit the Ottawa Book Club to discuss her book in 2012. Unfortunately, the discussion was nowhere near as large as it should have been due to one of the biggest snow storms on record hitting on that same day! But she made the trek and was kind enough to sit in with other adventurous book lovers to discuss some of the ins and outs of her book as well as writing in general. An interview with Nerys Parry can be found here.
An excellent read and would highly recommend this book. Nerys Parry's style is concise, fast-paced and her characters are honest and believable. The life of Simon Peters is revealed to the reader throughout the novel.... or is it? What is the nature of truth? How can we believe what we are told when we can't even trust the nature of our own memories? As I was drawn into the life of Simon Peters I had to find out more about him and find out what was either the "real truth", or simply another step on his journey to find it?
What I enjoyed most about this book was how it challenged my own sense of memory and self. Simon believed his own history even though it began to unravel in front of him. How would someone be aware of it if their own mind altered their own memories to protect itself? Almost "matrix-like", I enjoyed having my self challenged to authenticate my own experiences and memories.
The book also holds a special place for me as Ms. Parry was the first author to come and speak to the then-just-newly-forming book club, and I now own a signed first edition!! Which for a book-geek is like treasure.
Is there anything about the book I didn't like? Sometimes I don't object when authors put a nice fine point on some of the sub-text of their work. One of the reasons this book sticks so much in my memory is that I was able to meet the author with my list of questions and hear her directly explain a reference I missed, or a symbol I overlooked. For example, the main characters name is Simon Peters. Both "Simon" and "Peter" are biblical fishermen. This links well with the theme of water and fire from the novel, but I would have missed it entirely had Ms. Parry not been there to point it out. Not every book has the added bonus of having the author explain what they meant by their content.
Anxiously awaiting more work from this author!
8.5 out of 10.
Man and Other natural Disasters is the first book from Ottawa author Nerys Parry. I was introduced to Ms. Parry through a Toronto based publishing agent. Living in Ottawa, Ms. Parry was kind enough to visit the Ottawa Book Club to discuss her book in 2012. Unfortunately, the discussion was nowhere near as large as it should have been due to one of the biggest snow storms on record hitting on that same day! But she made the trek and was kind enough to sit in with other adventurous book lovers to discuss some of the ins and outs of her book as well as writing in general. An interview with Nerys Parry can be found here.
An excellent read and would highly recommend this book. Nerys Parry's style is concise, fast-paced and her characters are honest and believable. The life of Simon Peters is revealed to the reader throughout the novel.... or is it? What is the nature of truth? How can we believe what we are told when we can't even trust the nature of our own memories? As I was drawn into the life of Simon Peters I had to find out more about him and find out what was either the "real truth", or simply another step on his journey to find it?
What I enjoyed most about this book was how it challenged my own sense of memory and self. Simon believed his own history even though it began to unravel in front of him. How would someone be aware of it if their own mind altered their own memories to protect itself? Almost "matrix-like", I enjoyed having my self challenged to authenticate my own experiences and memories.
The book also holds a special place for me as Ms. Parry was the first author to come and speak to the then-just-newly-forming book club, and I now own a signed first edition!! Which for a book-geek is like treasure.
Is there anything about the book I didn't like? Sometimes I don't object when authors put a nice fine point on some of the sub-text of their work. One of the reasons this book sticks so much in my memory is that I was able to meet the author with my list of questions and hear her directly explain a reference I missed, or a symbol I overlooked. For example, the main characters name is Simon Peters. Both "Simon" and "Peter" are biblical fishermen. This links well with the theme of water and fire from the novel, but I would have missed it entirely had Ms. Parry not been there to point it out. Not every book has the added bonus of having the author explain what they meant by their content.
Anxiously awaiting more work from this author!
March 13, 2012
Mr. Simon Peters works in the basement of the Calgary Library repairing damaged volumes for a living. That’s all you really need to know before you read Man & Other Natural Disasters. Don’t read the reviews, don’t even read the blurb on the back of the book. Just get yourself a copy, take a moment to clear your mind of any troubling thoughts and your schedule of needless commitments, find a comfortable place to settle in, and begin reading one of the most intriguing, magical pieces of fiction you’ve experienced in years. Yes, this book is that good, but sadly your enjoyment of it can be accidentally ruined so easily if you’re not careful to avoid some external influences.
Because of this I’m left in the rather awkward position of attempting to do the book justice in a review while at the same time encouraging you to not read a single word I, or anyone else for that matter, writes about it. That’s okay. I’d be delighted if you stopped reading this right now and immediately walked/ran/drove/hand glided to your nearest bookstore/online retailer/library/illegal book ring to get yourself a copy of Nerys Parry’s debut novel. Honestly. My job as I see it is to persuade you to either read or not read a novel based on my reactions to it. I’m not so hung up on how I get you to follow my suggestions, just so long as you actually do every so often.
To recap: Read Man & Other Natural Disasters as soon as possible. Not convinced? You still want more information? Fair enough, continue on. I promise to try and do my best not to spoil anything.
READ MORE:
http://www.opinionless.com/book-revie...
Because of this I’m left in the rather awkward position of attempting to do the book justice in a review while at the same time encouraging you to not read a single word I, or anyone else for that matter, writes about it. That’s okay. I’d be delighted if you stopped reading this right now and immediately walked/ran/drove/hand glided to your nearest bookstore/online retailer/library/illegal book ring to get yourself a copy of Nerys Parry’s debut novel. Honestly. My job as I see it is to persuade you to either read or not read a novel based on my reactions to it. I’m not so hung up on how I get you to follow my suggestions, just so long as you actually do every so often.
To recap: Read Man & Other Natural Disasters as soon as possible. Not convinced? You still want more information? Fair enough, continue on. I promise to try and do my best not to spoil anything.
READ MORE:
http://www.opinionless.com/book-revie...
August 9, 2016
Man & Other Natural Disasters by Nerys Parry is nothing at all like I expected. I was drawn in from the following quote in the prologue:
"Fire, the most decisive element, devoured my sister first. Not long after her last ember had cooled, Earth swallowed my father. Then, not to be outdone, Air, the breath and will of the heavens themselves, swept up my mother. And so you see, by some democracy of the Gods, I have been left to the Waters." ~Nerys Parry
As the story progressed I found that the story was much deeper and more complex than what I originally thought. We meet Simon, a man with little relationships who spends his time locked in a basement office as he mends worn out books. Having experienced several tragic events in his life, he prefers to be a recluse so that he won't risk losing anyone else important to him.
Soon Minerva enters his life and old feelings start to emerge as she shares a striking resemblance to his dead sister. Just as things are starting to look up and he feels the faintest glimmer of love, he arrives home to a startling scene that causes his mind to snap. It is at this point that the book took a turn that I hadn't expected.
Nerys Parry has done a great job allowing us to peak inside the mind of Simon and you will feel the ups, downs, confusion and more as if you are a character in the story. It was hard for me to keep up with the story at times because one paragraph would be in present tense and the next paragraph would jump to a flashback but over all this was an interesting and great read.
"Fire, the most decisive element, devoured my sister first. Not long after her last ember had cooled, Earth swallowed my father. Then, not to be outdone, Air, the breath and will of the heavens themselves, swept up my mother. And so you see, by some democracy of the Gods, I have been left to the Waters." ~Nerys Parry
As the story progressed I found that the story was much deeper and more complex than what I originally thought. We meet Simon, a man with little relationships who spends his time locked in a basement office as he mends worn out books. Having experienced several tragic events in his life, he prefers to be a recluse so that he won't risk losing anyone else important to him.
Soon Minerva enters his life and old feelings start to emerge as she shares a striking resemblance to his dead sister. Just as things are starting to look up and he feels the faintest glimmer of love, he arrives home to a startling scene that causes his mind to snap. It is at this point that the book took a turn that I hadn't expected.
Nerys Parry has done a great job allowing us to peak inside the mind of Simon and you will feel the ups, downs, confusion and more as if you are a character in the story. It was hard for me to keep up with the story at times because one paragraph would be in present tense and the next paragraph would jump to a flashback but over all this was an interesting and great read.
January 24, 2012
Simon works in the basement of the Calgary City Library. He does book repair and maintenance. He was born on August 20, 1947, the last day of the drought. A woman is sent in to help figure out how to cut costs on book repairs, and she looks like his sister who died in a fire. He also has a roommate named Claude.
The chapters were divided into water, air, earth and fire. The way Simon describes what a baby must feel like in childbirth (like what things you would have to do all at once to simulate it) really sounds scary! He describes the art of repairing a book.
I wasn’t sure what was actually going on. There were different events that were described in the story, but in the end it was all revealed. I was very surprised at what was revealed at the end! This sure was an entertaining book that had a surprise at the end. Very well written story! I look forward to reading more books by Nerys Parry.
The chapters were divided into water, air, earth and fire. The way Simon describes what a baby must feel like in childbirth (like what things you would have to do all at once to simulate it) really sounds scary! He describes the art of repairing a book.
I wasn’t sure what was actually going on. There were different events that were described in the story, but in the end it was all revealed. I was very surprised at what was revealed at the end! This sure was an entertaining book that had a surprise at the end. Very well written story! I look forward to reading more books by Nerys Parry.
April 25, 2012
Half star! Come on! I'm giving it 3.5 stars. Thank you to Opinionless virtual book club, because once again a book was chosen that I would never have thought to pick up, but became one I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks also to Nerys Parry for taking time out of her evening last night to talk to us about the book. As Aaron and other Opinionless members have said, you cannot really say too much about this story because it will give away its twists and turns!! It is definitely unique and interesting! Also, learned more of Canadian history that was never really taught or talked about when I was in school. Perhaps if we lived further west and in a different province?
April 14, 2012
Dang! This was really good. Surprisingly good! I have not had much time to read lately and the time I found was just small snippets. Often, I felt the need to re-read the little I had read the day before to get back into the sense of the book. Finally last night I made the realization that I had to sit down and find out WHAT was happening and how the book was going to end! WoW! What a great way to spend a beautiful day with a beautiful book.
Can't do a better review that my friend Aaron. Find his review here: http://www.opinionless.com/book-revie...
Can't do a better review that my friend Aaron. Find his review here: http://www.opinionless.com/book-revie...
January 5, 2012
Nerys Parry has written a book that will haunt you for months, maybe even years. The quality of language, and the audacity with which she creates the memorable Simon and his fugue memories is sufficient to make this a great read, but coupled with some unusual observations about the universe in general and some nerve-splitting twists brings it to a whole new level. One of the most distinctive voices I have read in some time.
February 17, 2014
Loved the first half of this: beautiful set up and characterization. However the second half - where we get to 'the truth' was boring in comparison; I struggled to keep going and ended up skim reading most of it. The medical notes at the end felt like a cop-out - as if Parry wanted to finish the story but wasn't interested enough to tell the story so we got it all in note form. 3 stars for the first part but only 1 for the rest.
October 31, 2013
This novel is very well written and a true page turner. Nerys creates a "feeling" for the book from the first page and carries it effortlessly throughout the novel. Her character Simon is so well developed that by the end of the book I felt like I knew him personally. There are scenes so haunting and well written that they leave a strong imagery in the mind due largely to Parry's fluid writing style.
December 16, 2011
I just finished it and I really like it. What a strange twist near the end. I wish there was a second volume. I feel like there is more story to tell. It's especially interesting because it has real Canadian history in it. I went to the Frank Slide with Saryn's class in elementary school and I remember learning about the Doukhobors with her.
April 21, 2012
Not what I expected. Often you suspect that works of fiction are thinly veiled and illuminated autobiographies--not here. A work that makes you truly think about fiction and the role of author as creator. A marvelously woven tale that sticks with you.
December 5, 2011
Very clever book - not at all what I expected - so much more. I read it all in one day and thoroughly enjoyed it. Nerys, I am impressed!! Can't wait to read more...
April 7, 2012
A video review has been requested. Got some ideas-- I'll work on something... (no pressure!)
April 26, 2012
very much enjoyed this novel. the author is a great story teller...
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May 24, 2012Just read the beautiful paragraph on page 12!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews