In Search Of…
A faulty memoir of things that probably never happened.
A non-linear journey through sixty years, three cities, and one man's search for connection.
215 pages | Literary Fiction | Published October 2023
Paperback
You can get the paperback on Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or ThriftBooks, but Lulu nets me more money.
ebook
Buy lots of copies for friends and for your local library.
ABOUT THE BOOK
He drifts through life disconnected. Even when a customer at the cafe where he works points it out, he doesn't quite see it. When a volcano destroys his car and a friend offers a cheap plane ticket, he decides to find out what life is like outside the rut—that is, assuming he's in one.
In Search Of... chronicles a journey that unfolds over a few months between 1991 and 2051. Part memoir, part speculation, the story folds together the world that was, the world that is, and a world as it might yet be. Everything in it happened, but none of it is real.
This is a story about building connections told through the eyes of someone who struggles to connect—because that feels more honest. The hopefulness comes from others, and while the protagonist's change is subtle, it's real. We often don't realize we've changed until long after the transformation takes place.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
"Picture yourself on the beach, where the waves come in and out. Sometimes bringing with them various curious objects. This book feels the same—but you're watching someone's life unfold instead of your own... I often found myself reading for longer than I intended. Oh and the humor in this book is priceless."
— Goodreads Reviewer
PERFECT FOR READERS WHO LOVE
Non-linear narratives that play with time and memory
Philosophical explorations of disconnection and hope
Autofiction that blurs memoir and imagination
Quietly humorous, introspective voices
Books that make you think without being pretentious
Copyright Info
The copyright for this book expires December 31, 2048. After this date, the author considers it to be in the Public Domain. Because 70 years is too long. Please see the URL at the bottom of this page for the latest permissions.
All rights reserved for now. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electri—blah blah blah. Don’t steal. Totally cool to use brief quotations and images for the purposes of critical articles and reviews. Please review this book and thank you for supporting independent authors.
This book is a memoir and reflects the author’s recollections of experiences over time. Some names and characteristics have been changed, some events have been conflated, and some dialogue has been recreated. This book is a work of fiction. Some names, characters, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons—living or dead—events, or locations is entirely coincidental.
A thing can be two things.
~Matthew.
Copyright © 2023 by Matthew Oliphant
First edition October 2023
ISBN 979-8-9868545-2-6 (physical)
ISBN 979-8-9868545-3-3 (ebook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022918807