{"product_id":"9781922253187","title":"Something for the Pain: A Memoir of the Turf","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner, Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, 2016\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a boy, Gerald Murnane became obsessed with horse racing. He had never ridden a horse, nor seen a race. Yet he was fascinated by photos of horse races in the \u003ci\u003eSporting Globe\u003c\/i\u003e, and by the incantation of horses' names in radio broadcasts of races. Murnane discovered in these races more than he could find in religion or philosophy: they were the gateway to a world of imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGerald Murnane is like no other writer, and \u003ci\u003eSomething for the Pain\u003c\/i\u003e is like no other Murnane book. In this unique and spellbinding memoir, he tells the story of his life through the lens of horse racing. It is candid, droll and moving—a treat for lovers of literature and of the turf. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGerald Murnane\u003c\/b\u003e was born in Melbourne in 1939. He has been a primary teacher, an editor and a university lecturer. His debut novel, \u003ci\u003eTamarisk Row\u003c\/i\u003e (1974), was followed by nine other works of fiction, including \u003ci\u003eThe Plains\u003c\/i\u003e now available as a Text Classic, and most recently \u003ci\u003eA Million Windows\u003c\/i\u003e. In 1999 Murnane won the Patrick White Award and in 2009 he won the Melbourne Prize for Literature. He lives in western Victoria.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Murnane, a genius, is a worthy heir to Beckett.’ Teju Cole\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Murnane is a careful stylist and a slyly comic writer with large ideas.’ Robyn Cresswell, \u003ci\u003eParis Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Murnane is quite simply one of the finest writers we have produced.’ Peter Craven\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Unquestionably one of the most original writers working in Australia today.’ \u003ci\u003eAustralian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘\u003ci\u003eSomething for the Pain\u003c\/i\u003e is Gerald Murnane at his best. His meticulous exploration of his lifelong obsession with horse racing is by turns hilarious, moving and profound. If Australian writing were a horse race, Murnane would be the winner by three and a half lengths.’ Andy Griffiths\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘A marvellous book about horse racing, one of the best this country has produced. It is full of fast and loose stories and colourful characters…and lots of laughs.’ Stephen Romei, \u003ci\u003eAustralian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘\u003ci\u003eSomething for the Pain\u003c\/i\u003e bears testament to a lifelong obsession and further illustrates the breadth and depth of meaningfulness that Murnane can draw from a seemingly straightforward spectacle.’ \u003ci\u003eAustralian Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘Murnane is a writer of the greatest skill and tonal control. Reading his description of the death of a racehorse in the arms of its owner-trainer at Flemington racecourse, tears rolled down my cheeks: “The man put his arms around the horse’s neck and pressed his face against the horse’s head. The man went on lying there. The light rain went on falling.”’ \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘An absolute gem. It's literary, lucid, full of love for horses and racing and full of the strange highly-ordered madness of Murnane, full of a selfless disclosure. It’s marvellous. Funny, moving, beautiful. A brilliant book.’ Jonathan Green, Radio National Books and Arts\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Murnane recounts his life through his abiding obsession with horse racing. But you don’t have to care about horse racing—it’s the quality of the obsessed mind that matters.’ Ben Lerner, \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Yes, this is about Murnane’s lifelong obsession with horseracing, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a memoir that illuminates his deliberately unusual life and his exquisite fiction.’ \u003ci\u003eAustralian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Text Publishing Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47154291015920,"sku":"9781922253187","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781922253187_p0.jpg?v=1763635610","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781922253187","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}