The Subject Steve

Description

Dark, dazzling American satire from the natural heir to George Saunders or David Sedaris, 'A brilliant novel, in every conceivable way.' TOBY LITT Steve's fettle is absolutely fine, but nevertheless, he's dying -- of a mystery disease that just might be boredom. At least, that's what the guys in the white coats say. They're not doctors, they're just guys in white coats, and the subject's name isn't Steve, either, but we'll get to that...

Sam Lipsyte is the author of Venus Drive, a collection of short stories to be published by Flamingo in Dec 2002. His work has appeared in the New York Times and the Quarterly. He was born in 1968 and lives in New York City. This is his first novel.

'Sam Lipsyte is a gifted stylist, precise, original, devious, and very funny. In a time when the language of most novels is dead on arrival, this book, about a dying man, is startlingly alive.' Jeffrey Eugenides, author of Middlesex and The Virgin Suicides 'An all-American tale made up of smart deliveries and cracking ideas... reminiscent of Douglas Coupland or A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.' Observer 'I laughed out loud -- and I never laugh out loud...' CHUCK PALAHNIUK, author of Fight Club 'An original voice: smart, savvy... intensely funny' TLS 'The best thing since George Saunders last broke cover... Kind of Beckett meets Six Feet Under, comedy doesn't come much blacker than this.' Uncut 'Rowdy, shocking and lyrical... very funny' New Yorker 'Dark, lancing humour, first-rate satire and writing that dares to be bold and edgy.' San Francisco Chronicle 'Laugh-out-loud funny...By turns strange, disturbing and hilarious.' Irish Independent 'On just about every page of this book there is a line that makes your eyes widen with amazement at Sam Lipsyte's sheer wit and audacity. You sit up a little and suppress the urge to write the thing down on a piece of paper and tape it to the wall.' Thomas Beller, author of The Sleep-over Artist 'Dazzlingly inventive... pure, black-hearted fun.' Kate Christensen, author of In the Drink and Jeremy Thrane