Richard Flanagan has a new book - The Living Sea of Waking Dreams. As I think he is one of Australia's greatest authors I ordered a copy as soon as it was released and read it in a couple of days. Set at the time of Australia's 2020 bushfire season, the story centres around a dying elderly mother and the 'management' of her decline by her three children.
As the apocalyptic bushfires consume Australia a strange phenomenon affects some of the central characters - parts of their bodies start to disappear; their fingers, a knee, eyes even. More strangely, other people do not notice these absent features. The seemingly imminent extinction of the orange bellied parrot also features in the story. While these events occur, characters disappear into their phones, consuming news and social media, all so they can escape having to acknowledge the terrible events surrounding them.
This is a book about our culture of indifference to suffering and the seemingly inexorable death of the planet. At times I found it grim reading, but Flanagan's wonderful writing kept me hooked. For me there was a note of hope in the ending which pulled me out of the darkness.
Recommended reading to anyone who can read.
Until next time, peace and love.
