The World of Pondside: A Novel

Mary Helen Stefaniak

ISBN 10: 1799909719 / ISBN 13: 9781799909712

Published by Blackstone Publishing, 2022

About this Item

Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00069553120

Bibliographic Details

Title: The World of Pondside: A Novel

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Publication Date: 2022

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis:

In a game of life or death, the seniors at Pondside Manor risk it all.

With help from Pondside Manor's quirky, twentysomething kitchen worker Foster Kresowik, resident Robert Kallman creates The World of Pondside, a video game that delights the nursing home's residents by allowing them to virtually relive blissful moments from days long past--or even create new ones.

One-legged Duane Lotspeich is overjoyed when he can dance the tango again. Octogenarian Laverne Slatchek cheers on her favorite baseball team from the stands at Candlestick Park with her beloved husband--who died years ago. Even the overwhelmed Pondside administrator escapes her job by logging into a much more luxurious virtual world.

Robert's game enlivens the halls of Pondside Manor, but chaos ensues when he is found dead, submerged in the pond, still strapped into his wheelchair. If any resident witnessed his death, they're not telling--either covering up or, quite possibly, forgetting. And it's far from clear to anyone--including the police--if the death of this brilliant man, who suffered from ALS, was suicide or murder.

When Robert's video game goes dark, its players grow desperate. The task of getting it back online falls to young Foster, who enlists help from a raucous group of residents and staff. Their pursuit--virtual and real--has unintended consequences, uncovering both criminal activities and the secret plans of Foster's friend Robert. From Pondside Manor, this unlikely bunch of gamers embarks upon an astonishing journey--blissful, treacherous, and unforgettable.

Packed with sharp wit and compassion, Mary Helen Stefaniak has written a rousing, perceptive, and utterly original novel.

About the Author:

Mary Helen Stefaniak is the prizewinning author of The Turk and My Mother and Self Storage and Other Stories. She lives in Omaha and Iowa City.