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A novel about obsession, brilliance and infinite regression. Matthew Karpin is a PhD student in the School of English, Communication and Theatre Studies at the University of New England, has just published The Thesis. Some might think this a case of the cart before the horse, but Matthew is familiar with the torments, slumps and euphoric episodes of the thesis writer. His partner, and numerous members of his immediate and extended family are thesis survivors. Matthew himself has a MA in English from Sydney University. This is the first Australian and international novel to tackle the subject matter of writing a thesis. It is a black comedy about a women, Barbara, who is doing a PhD titled The Dysfunctional (Family) as Signifier. Like many PhD thesis candidates, Barbara wants to produce a great tome that will take the academic world by storm. The novel is set in a former, probably now extinct university culture where it was possible to spend one's PhD years leisurely reading and writing for a decade. Barbara starts writing her PhD at the age of 21; 20 years later she has nearly finished. Her supervisor, once young, is edging perilously close to retirement. The intervening years involve epic struggles in relationships, with research interviewees, with French theory and deconstruction. In the novel, Matthew says, "I give voice to the heroics of those who work with their minds. Our culture has many sporting heroes, but few heroes of the intellect: and Barbara is self-appointed in this field". Writers of theses, their partners, supervisors and others, will find this novel illuminating, worryingly familiar, but most of all, very, very funny. It provokes laughter out loud. Managing
Editor: Anthony J. Bennett |
BOOK INFORMATION Author(s):
Matthew Karpin Price: A$15.00
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