The Lunatic

A Novel

Michelle Slater, PhD

$51.95 $46.90

Paperback

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English

Guernica Editions,Canada
09 July 2025

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

For fans of Patrick Dewitt and Henry David Thoreau comes The Lunatic-the debut literary novel from the author of two previous non-fiction books, Michelle B. Slater, PhD.

Set during the height of the Occupy Movement of 2011, 28-year-old Nell Harding starts an experiment-alongside her faithful animal companion Argos-with the goal of crafting a different kind of life for herself. Despite Nell being a rare books librarian, she's not immune to the lures of digital distraction, and she wonders if it's possible to create a meaningful life off the seductive digital grid.

Using herself as a test subject, Nell unplugs to see what will happen, leaving New York City to return to the Berkshire Hills of her childhood. What she finds is a life far more challenging, surprising, and-ultimately-rewarding than she could have possibly envisioned.

Drawing from Slater's background as a scholar of comparative literature and lover of conservationism, the novel engages with the work of poets, novelists, and philosophers, including Mallarme, Baudelaire, Emerson, Musil, Broch, and more. Nature lovers and modern-day philosophers won't be able to resist the tempting question-is absorption possible in the age of distraction?

By: Michelle Slater PhD
Imprint: Guernica Editions,Canada
Country of Publication: Canada
Dimensions: Height: 228mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 15mm
Weight: 367g
ISBN: 9781771839440
ISBN 10: 1771839449
Pages: 200
Publication Date: 09 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Michelle B. Slater, PhD is a scholar of comparative literature and president of the Mayapple Center for the Arts and Humanities. Her first book, Starving to Heal in Siberia delves into how she was cured of the debilitating effects of advanced Lyme disease. Her latest book, Soulmate Dog, is about pushing the boundaries of the relationship between the human and the non-human animal. Michelle holds a Ph.D. in French Literature from Johns Hopkins and spends her time between Connecticut and Switzerland. Michelle is the author of the forthcoming novel The Lunatic.

ONLY $9.90 DELIVERY INFO

The Lunatic

A Novel

Michelle Slater, PhD

$51.95 $46.90

Paperback

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