Tuvalu

(Paperback)

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Winner of the Australian/Vogel's Literary Award 2005.

'Tuvalu - Everyone has a place like that. A dream land or life they're working towards, however vaguely ... Some people probably have more than one Tuvalu in a life. It changes as they grow. Or maybe they get to the first one and find it's nothing like they imagined and need a new one. You must have had at least one'

'No.'

A love story of sorts, Tuvalu tells the story of Noah Tuttle, who is glumly and aimlessly living a half kind of life in a cheap rundown hostel in the seamier margins of Tokyo, a place overrun with feral cats and cockroaches. He teaches mediocre English to disinterested students, sleeps with his girlfriend, Tilly, when she's around, drinks beer when he can afford it, and generally avoids other people and their expectations. Nothing much happens to him - until, that is, he meets the wealthy, captivating and completely self-absorbed Mami Kaketa, a supremely selfish creature who leaves people like so much litter in her wake, so brazen and capricious she should come with a health warning.

A blackly funny, inconclusive and strangely beguiling story of ennui, escape, exile and dreams.

'Always surprising, it maps the complex emotional currents of a young man navigating between two cultures, exploring issues of love, lust, honesty and commitment.' Liam Davison

'The quality of the writing is high and seemingly effortless - the prose is assured and fluid and his observations are original - it has real spark.' John Dale

'An assured voice - an accomplished and interesting writer.' Jean Bedford

Reviews

'... a thoughtful and accomplished first novel ... with a reflective quality that gives it an undercurrent of sadness ... an appealing blend of humour and pathos ... shows O'Connor to be a writer of considerable promise.' The Sydney Morning Herald'... an agreeably wry and readable journey ... He is definitely a writer to watch.' The Canberra Times

Author Bio

Andrew O'Connor was born in 1978 in Warragul, Victoria. He studied Arts at Melbourne University before travelling and working in central and northern Australia. For the last four years, Andrew has divided his time between stints teaching English (ESL) in various regions of Japan, and writing in Australia.