Sidereal Time

by Christopher Meredith

Clint and Dustin are coconuts, 10L have turned into three-toed sloths, Gron is becoming Zero Mostel, the lower sixth is an airliner of people about to fall out of the sky, and you, you've turned into a three-eyed Martian who speaks a nounless language and has forgotted to pay the child minder. But what's all this got to do with sixteenth century Ermland? It's an ordinary week in post-industrial south wales, and alienated desperation is as much fun as it's ever been. Sidereal Time, starting with the experiences of Sarah, a school teacher feeling the first intimations of middle age, explores the cussed paradox of the way life can be predictable and yet not follow any script you've prepared.

250 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

About the author

Christopher Meredith (1955-) is a Welsh poet and novelist, writing mainly in English.

Reviews

[Jamie Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

the prose was beautiful but man there are some books where you can really just tell that it was written by a man.

[Cath Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whereas Meredith addressed masculinity in Shifts, the narrative voice of this novel is female. Everything contained within the pages is female- time (sidereal), perspective, physical sensation, desire, anxiety. Read it alongside Shifts for a study of how culture changed from the industrial masculine of the late 70's to the (suggested) feminized anxieties of the 90's.