Strange Nervous Laughter - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1770200622 ISBN 13: 9781770200623

Synopsis

You'll not find six more remarkable characters: a cashier-turned motivational speaker, an undertaker with a toenail fetish, a girl wrapped in dreams, a man who communicates with whales, a garbage man with a peculiar sense of smell, and a "Guinness Book of World Records" representative. When a random hold-up at a local grocery brings them together, their once separate lives intertwine in a humorous blend of lyricism, whimsy and wit. This is a rare book about what love does to us, how our lives are changed by being in love - and the odd ways in which we sometimes behave. Up-and-coming novelist McNulty shows herself to be a writer to watch.

About this title

Synopsis

Strange nervous laughter is a fantastical romance in three parts with the lives and loves of the six very different characters interwoven in this tender, funny story set in Durban. In 'Stuck on a highway to disaster', Bertha is a woman with a heart too big for her life (and a curious habit of floating when she's happy), and Pravesh is a man with a life too big for his heart (and a highly developed death radar). 'Follow the scent of Honeysuckle' is the story of Aisha and Mdu and an extraordinary love affair. Aisha wakes up flattened by the weight of her dreams every morning, while Mdu has a voice of such unusual frequency that he can talk to whales. They meet in strange circumstances and, once Mdu manages to wake Aisha, they set off traveling around South Africa, followed by the scent of honeysuckle. 'To the secret smile' focuses mainly on Harry (who attracts broken things like a magnet) and Meryl (who is bound in a corset of cynicism so tight that no emotions can break through). The most unlikely pair of the novel, their strange courtship begins as an act of revenge and somehow, slowly, grows into more.An intriguing blend of lyricism, whimsy and sharp humour, it is about love, friend--ship and relationships, figuring out who we are, sex and food and Durban, the sea, men and women and the foolish things we do to each other.

About the Author

BRIDGET MCNULTY spends her days writing, reading and drinking tea, and has become an avid blogger. She now lives in Cape Town and works for "Real Simple "magazine. This is her first novel.

About this edition

• ISBN 10: 1770200622
• ISBN 13: 9781770200623
• Binding: Paperback