Items related to RIPTIDE
Synopsis
On his 18th birthday Duncan receives a card from the mother he has not seen for eight years following his father's death. She has given him a clue to her whereabouts and after a traumatic reconciliation he discovers why: she is poised to emigrate with the new man in her life.
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About the Author
Peter Benson is the author of four previous novels: THE LEVELS (winner of the Guardian Fiction Prize), A LESSER DEPENDENCY (co-winner of the Encore Award), THE OTHER OCCUPANT (winner of the Somerset Maugham Award) and ODO'S HANGING. He has also adapted his work for television and has had several short stories published.
From Publishers Weekly
Benson employs surfing as a metaphor in his compelling new novel (after Odo's Hanging), transforming what might have been a formulaic coming-of-age tale into an intense, even transcendent, examination of a young man's struggle to establish his identity while facing the loss of both parents. On his 19th birthday, in an English seaside town, Duncan Blaine gets a clue to the whereabouts of his mother, Diana, who, nine years earlier, left him to be raised by relatives when a tragic accident took the life of her husband. After meeting Diana in a Cornish resort, Duncan is introduced to the new man in her life, a cardiac surgeon with whom she intends to live in Canada. Distraught at the prospect of yet another separation, Duncan attempts to reconcile with his mother while conducting a passionate affair with an employee of the inn where he is staying. As Diana questions her decision to once again leave Duncan, Benson lets the chilling denouement reveal itself in wry, gentle fashion, adding graceful comic details and a series of charming secondary characters. The author's major strength is character development, however, and his acute expressions of interiority are what bring both Duncan and his story to full life. The surfing passages are particularly rich; deep and laced with symbols, they provide evocative insight into Duncan's feelings regarding his sexuality and the loss and separation that have defined his young life. Three of Benson's four previous novels have won literary awards (the Guardian, the Encore and the Somerset Maugham); this fifth may do the same.
Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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- PublisherSceptre
- Publication date1995
- ISBN 10 0340625929
- ISBN 13 9780340625927
- BindingPaperback
- LanguageEnglish
- Number of pages218
- Rating
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Riptide
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Riptide This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780340625927
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780340625927
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Paperback. Condition: Used; Acceptable. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. The book is perfectly readable and fit for use, although it shows signs of previous ownership. The spine is likely creased and the cover scuffed or slightly torn. Textbooks will typically have an amount of underlining and/or highlighting, as well as notes. If this book is over 5 years old, then please expect the pages to be yellowing or to have age spots. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading. Damaged cover. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner. Seller Inventory # CHL9959403
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