The Lost Dog - Hardcover
Tom Loxley, an Indian-Australian professor, is less concerned with finishing his book on Henry James than with finding his dog, who is lost in the Australian bush. Joining his daily hunt is Nelly Zhang, an artist whose husband disappeared mysteriously years before Tom met her. Although Nelly helps him search for his beloved pet, Tom isn't sure if he should trust this new friend.
Tom has preoccupations other than his book and Nelly and his missing dog, mainly concerning his mother, who is suffering from the various indignities of old age. He is constantly drawn from the cerebral to the primitive--by his mother's infirmities, as well as by Nelly's attractions. THE LOST DOG makes brilliant use of the conventions of suspense and atmosphere while leading us to see anew the ever-present conflicts between our bodies and our minds, the present and the past, the primal and the civilized.
Tom has preoccupations other than his book and Nelly and his missing dog, mainly concerning his mother, who is suffering from the various indignities of old age. He is constantly drawn from the cerebral to the primitive--by his mother's infirmities, as well as by Nelly's attractions. THE LOST DOG makes brilliant use of the conventions of suspense and atmosphere while leading us to see anew the ever-present conflicts between our bodies and our minds, the present and the past, the primal and the civilized.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Michelle de Kretser is a Sri Lankan who has lived in Australia since 1972. She has taught literature at Melbourne University and worked as an editor and reviewer. The Lost Dog is her third novel.
Review:
"The Lost Dog is an uncompromisingly literary (and literate) book: ferociously intelligent, highbrow, allusive and unflinching....There are all kinds of terrors lurking within the heart of the book--these are for the reader to discover--but the one that is most palpable is the undeniable fact that this book is touched, like Rilke's "terrible angel," by the terror of greatness." (Time Neel Mukherjee)
"Lucky readers will discover the trickery of Michelle de Kretser's The Lost Dog only upon finishing it, at which point the author reveals her astonishing sleight of hand. . .uncannily compelling. At the end, it suddenly becomes clear that every seemingly gratuitous observation in the book was leading us toward a very particular conclusion not only about these characters but also about how our lives are defined by the cruelties and kindnesses of those who precede us.... De Kretser's daring willingness to let suspense accrue without promising resolution is a worthy echo of Henry James's brilliance." (Washington Post Dara Horn)
"An intimate and subtle look at Tom Loxley, a well-intentioned but solipsistic Henry James scholar and childless divorcé, as he searches for his missing dog in the Australian bush.... Things progress rapidly, with a few unexpected turns thrown in as Tom and Nelly get together, the murky circumstances surrounding Felix's disappearance are (somewhat) cleared up and the matter of the missing dog is settled. De Kretser's unadorned, direct sentences illustrate her characters' flaws and desires, and she does an admirable job of illuminating how life and art overlap in the 21st century." (Publishers Weekly)
"A nuanced portrait of a man in his time. The novel, like Tom, is multicultural, intelligent, challenging, and, ultimately, rewarding." (Library Journal Andrea Kempf)
"More often than not, de Kretser nails some situation or foible in 20 words or less. . .There is much here that dazzles. . . .De Kretser's writing is as boldly beautiful as ever." (The New York Times Book Review Alison McCulloch)
"Engrossing. . .De Kretser confidently marshals her reader back and forth through the book's complex flashback structure, keeping us in suspense even as we read simply for the pleasure of her prose. . . . De Kretser knows when to explain, and when to leave us deliciously wondering." (The Seattle Times Moira Macdonald)
"Multilayered and beguiling....The Hamilton
Case does enchant, certainly, but--more
important--the book admirably and resolutely
sees the world as it really is." (New York Times Book Review William Boyd)
"One of the best arguments against false exotic
chic I've read." (Washington Times Sudip Bose)
An elegant, seductive...work of art." (Salon.com Laura Miller)
Michelle de Kretser's The Hamilton Case
ratifies every dream one might have of a tropical
landscape....She is, however, as smart and up-
to-date as she can be....A dazzling
performance." (New York Review of Books Anita Desai)
"Lucky readers will discover the trickery of Michelle de Kretser's The Lost Dog only upon finishing it, at which point the author reveals her astonishing sleight of hand. . .uncannily compelling. At the end, it suddenly becomes clear that every seemingly gratuitous observation in the book was leading us toward a very particular conclusion not only about these characters but also about how our lives are defined by the cruelties and kindnesses of those who precede us.... De Kretser's daring willingness to let suspense accrue without promising resolution is a worthy echo of Henry James's brilliance." (Washington Post Dara Horn)
"An intimate and subtle look at Tom Loxley, a well-intentioned but solipsistic Henry James scholar and childless divorcé, as he searches for his missing dog in the Australian bush.... Things progress rapidly, with a few unexpected turns thrown in as Tom and Nelly get together, the murky circumstances surrounding Felix's disappearance are (somewhat) cleared up and the matter of the missing dog is settled. De Kretser's unadorned, direct sentences illustrate her characters' flaws and desires, and she does an admirable job of illuminating how life and art overlap in the 21st century." (Publishers Weekly)
"A nuanced portrait of a man in his time. The novel, like Tom, is multicultural, intelligent, challenging, and, ultimately, rewarding." (Library Journal Andrea Kempf)
"More often than not, de Kretser nails some situation or foible in 20 words or less. . .There is much here that dazzles. . . .De Kretser's writing is as boldly beautiful as ever." (The New York Times Book Review Alison McCulloch)
"Engrossing. . .De Kretser confidently marshals her reader back and forth through the book's complex flashback structure, keeping us in suspense even as we read simply for the pleasure of her prose. . . . De Kretser knows when to explain, and when to leave us deliciously wondering." (The Seattle Times Moira Macdonald)
"Multilayered and beguiling....The Hamilton
Case does enchant, certainly, but--more
important--the book admirably and resolutely
sees the world as it really is." (New York Times Book Review William Boyd)
"One of the best arguments against false exotic
chic I've read." (Washington Times Sudip Bose)
An elegant, seductive...work of art." (Salon.com Laura Miller)
Michelle de Kretser's The Hamilton Case
ratifies every dream one might have of a tropical
landscape....She is, however, as smart and up-
to-date as she can be....A dazzling
performance." (New York Review of Books Anita Desai)
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherLittle, Brown and Company
- Publication date2008
- ISBN 10 031600183X
- ISBN 13 9780316001830
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages336
- Rating
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The Lost Dog
Published by
Little, Brown and Company
(2008)
ISBN 10: 031600183X
ISBN 13: 9780316001830
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