Rich and Poor - Softcover

Wren, Jacob

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1771662387 ISBN 13: 9781771662383

Publisher: Book*hug Press, 2016

Synopsis

Fiction. Finalist for the 2016 Quebec Writers' Federation Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. The Globe 100: Best Books of 2016 Selection. Who hasn't, at one time or another, considered killing a billionaire? Following on the critical success of his novel POLYAMOROUS LOVE SONG (BookThug, 2014), Montreal-based writer and performer Jacob Wren picks up the mantle of the politically and economically disenfranchised in RICH AND POOR—the story of a middle-class, immigrant pianist who has fallen on hard times, and now finds himself washing dishes to make ends meet. Wren capably balances personal reflections with real-time political events, as his protagonist awakens to the possibility of a solution to his troubles and begins to formulate a plan of attack, in which the only answer is to get rid of "the 1%." RICH AND POOR is a rare work of literary fiction that cuts into the psychology of politics in ways that are off-kilter, unexpected, and unnerving. This compelling, fast-paced, and energizing read may just become the new Bible for adventure-seeking, politically active and/or interested readers who rowdily question their position among "the 99%."

"For far too long, literature has deemed it inconvenient to speak about the rich and the poor. Jacob Wren's intriguing novel calls into question this very notion. The fascinating result resides in the author's intelligent use of class struggle as a narrative principle to drive the novel. The two men, who assume the contrasting roles, have the ability to analyze their actions and the facts of all that is around them, while at the same time remaining unaware of the nature of the forces they answer to."—Sergio Chejfec

About this title

About the Author

Jacob Wren makes literature, performances and exhibitions. His books include: Unrehearsed Beauty, Families Are Formed Through Copulation, Revenge Fantasies of the Politically Dispossessed, POLYAMOROUS LOVE SONG (a finalist for the 2013 Fence Modern Prize in Prose and the 2016 ReLit Award for Fiction, and was named one of The Globe and Mail's 100 Best Books of 2014), and AUTHENTICITY IS A FEELING (BookThug, 2018). His most recent novel RICH AND POOR, was a finalist for the 2016 Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. As Co- Artistic Director of Montreal-based interdisciplinary group PME-ART he has co-created the performances En français comme en anglais, it's easy to criticize, Individualism Was a Mistake, The DJ Who Gave Too Much Information and Every Song I've Ever Written. He travels internationally with alarming frequency and frequently writes about contemporary art. Connect with him on his blog (www.radicalcut.blogspot.com) or on Twitter @everySongIveEve.

Review

Praise for Rich and Poor:

"As with Wren's previous work, Rich and Poor is art in resistance, a work that dares to remind us of our capacity for revolutionary love despite the prevailing economic system's structural violence." --Jade Colbert, The Globe and Mail

"Wren's new novel, Rich and Poor, is more than a critique of capitalism and profit-obsessed society. It's a parable examining corporate culture - the way it makes us calculating, unscrupulous and ultimately disposable." --The Toronto Star

"Rich and Poor is a populist parable for our polarized times." --Ian McGillis, Montreal Gazette

"Stoic yet provocative, Rich and Poor plunges the reader into a deep psychology of activism, politics, business, and how they all mesh together." --Largehearted Boy

"Rich and Poor is a timely and well-considered story. There are plenty of surprising moments....as well as real insights into issues of wealth inequality that so often dominate the headlines." --Mark Sampson, Quill and Quire

"The dream of a Marxist revolution is alive and well in Rich and Poor." --Dan Twerdochlib, The Winnipeg Review

About this edition

• Publisher: Book*hug Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1771662387
• ISBN 13: 9781771662383
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 184