Robert dessaix has published a number of other books which are no longer in print and, with one or two exceptions, little known. Robert dessaix was born on february 17, 1944 in sydney, australia. Robert dessaix is bestknown as a writer of literary nonfiction memoirs, essays, biography and autobiography, but has also published two novels, several short stories and one play. Tom jones, a merchant seaman, was already 55 when robert was adopted. Robert dessaix is known as a leading broadcaster, for many years the producer and. Texas destiny texas trilogy book 1 pdf book download online. It wont appeal to everyone, but i loved its intelligence, its humanity and its bigpicture look at life, so much so that when i got to the last page i immediately wanted to turn to the front to read it all over again and that doesnt happen very often.
We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Pdf night letters by robert dessaix download pdf free ebook. A tale of double lives, night letters, corfu, twilight of love. Robert dessaix, australian author memoirs, travel writing. Dessaix wrote night letters in the mid1990s when he was coming to terms with his own hiv diagnosis, but the book never mentions the incurable disease its narrator is dying from.
His works have won the booksellers choice award, the australian literature society gold medal, the colin roderick award, the new. Every night for twenty nights in a hotel room in venice, an australian man recently diagnosed with an incurable disease writes home to a friend reflecting on questions of mortality. Journeying is the structure of the book, in which the narrator writes about. Night letters by robert dessaix 9781925143942 booktopia. Jan 01, 1996 dessaix wrote night letters in the mid1990s when he was coming to terms with his own hiv diagnosis, but the book never mentions the incurable disease its narrator is dying from. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Author robert dessaix has been many people over his life. In more recent years he has also presented radio series on australian public. Buy night letters book online at low prices in india.
Robert dessaixs night letters is a poetic masterpiece. The pleasures of leisure by robert dessaix penguin books. Dessaixs books of fiction and nonfiction draw on his personal life, his travel experience and his encyclopedic knowledge of literature. A journey through switzerland and italy by dessaix, robert and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Robert dessaix s night letters is a poetic masterpiece.
He attended the australian national university and moscow state university. Robert dessaix is a widely known interviewer and commentator on australian television and radio. Discover book depositorys huge selection of robert dessaix books online. A novel dafa818a854 for nights in a hotel room in venice, a traveler, recently diagnosed with an incurable illness, writes a letter home to a friend he describes the journey he has j. The thing i love about robert is he is so utterly himself, so unlike anyone else. Born in sydney in 1944, he studied russian language and literature at the australian national university in canberra, where he also taught for some twenty years until joining the abc. In 1994 he published to critical acclaim a mothers disgrace, while his bestselling first novel, night letters 1996 won the aba book of the year award in 1996 and the australian literary. Books go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals. We deliver the joy of reading in 100% recycled packaging with free standard shipping on u. In times of great physical frailty in the past one was always conscious of the big person, the big intellect being active and present. Robert dessaix is a wellknown broadcaster, critic, author and translator. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices.
Amazon pay todays deals best sellers mobiles customer service new releases pantry coupons sell computers books amazonbasics baby gift ideas. Although night letters celebrates an older literary tradition, dessaix updates and reinvigorates it by using the contemporary subtext of aids and homosexuality to illustrate the pursuit of desire and its consequences. His first fictional work, the epistolary novel night letters, was published in. Night letters by robert dessaix paperback, 1997 for sale. Night letters y first published in 1996, is robert dessaixs second book of fiction. Robert dessaix books list of books by author robert dessaix. Buy night letters by robert dessaix from amazons fiction books store. Robert dessaix is a writer, translator, broadcaster and occasional essayist. His recent works include the collection of essays, and so forth, and the novels night letters and corfu.
Journeying is the structure of the book, in which the narrator writes about his travels from a hotel room in venice. Author robert dessaix has been many people over his life and is shameless due to a lack of family. Stricken with an incurable disease, an australian man writes a series of letters from italy to a friend back home. He explains how we can reclaim our right to rest well, and to loaf, groom, nest and play, as he guides us through the. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. Dessaix writes with great elegance, with passion, compassion and sly wit. Not since edmund whites richly evocative nocturnes for the king of naples has a gay novelist infused the themes of love and death with so fine a lyric sensibility.
Buy night letters by robert dessaix online at alibris. Robert dessaix author of night letters robert dessaix is the author of night letters 3. Robert dessaix shows, in this wonderfully thoughtful and witty book, how taking leisure seriously gives us back our freedom to enjoy life, to revel in it, in fact. Booktopia night letters by robert dessaix, 9781925143942. Mar 16, 2008 night letters is an incredibly subtle novel, but its a wise one too. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Robert dessaix born 17 february 1944 is an australian novelist, essayist and journalist. As i was saying a collection of musings by robert dessaix. He is the author of several books, including turgenev. The book comprises a series of 20 letters written on consecutive nights by an australian man staying in a venice hotel. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. A conversation with robert dessaix november 14, 2014 by ramona koval in books, essays, interview, uncategorized leave a comment i cant tell you how how pleased i was to speak recently to robert dessaix at melbournes wheeler centre. This is a semiautobiographical roman a clef in which hiv plays a supporting role. In these letters, against a rich background of earlier journeys in literature, with dante as his imagined guide, he reflects on what it means to live a good life in the face of death. Travels with turgenev, and so forth, and as i was saying. Pleasures of leisure, the robert dessaix 9780143780052. His book, what days are for, won the 2016 adelaide festival awards for literature in the nonfiction category. Night letters by robert dessaix goodreads share book.
Drusilla modjeska got to know dessaix during the editing of night letters. The quest for faith australian national university, 1980. Night letters is an incredibly subtle novel, but its a wise one too. A novel by robert dessaix and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His novel night letters, perhaps his most popular book and a longtime bestseller in australia, comprises 20 letters written in a hotel in venice by a man recently diagnosed with hiv. What follows are weeks in hospital, tubes and cannulae puncturing his body, as he recovers from the heart attack threatening daily to kill him. From 1985 to 1995, after teaching russian language and literature at anu and unsw, he presented the weekly books and writing program on abcs radio national. An australian man, stricken with an incurable disease, writes a series of letters from italy to a friend back home. Praise for night letters by robert dessaix dessaix writes with great elegance, with passion, compassion and sly wit. Every night for twenty nights in a hotel room in venice, an australian man recently diagnosed with an incurable disease writes home to a friend reflecting on qu. And so, night letters the book i wrote about that hiv diagnosis. One sunday night in sydney, robert dessaix collapses on a pavement in darlinghurst, and is helped to his hotel by a kind young man wearing a tshirt that says fuck you. Jul 31, 2015 australian author robert dessaix inspired by a love of languages, travel to exotic lands and hosting a radio show about books and writing, dessaix is an author unravelling lifes big questions.
Australia notes for reading groups robert dessaix night letters a journey through switzerland and italy edited and annotated by igor miazmov notes by robyn sheahanbright. A journey through switzerland and italy 9780732908515 by dessaix, robert and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Robert dessaix was the producer and presenter of abc radio nationals books and writing program from 1985 to 1995. Buy night letters book online at best prices in india on. Night letters by dessaix and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Museums, churches, cafes, and railway stations come under his cool gaze and, as he digs beneath the elegant veneer of european literature, he uncovers centuries of sensuality and debauchery which litters their history. They include the mysterious tales of ivan turgenev a translation with introduction published by the australian national university, 1979 and turgenev. He studied at moscow university in the late 1960s and early 1970s and for almost 20 years taught russian language and literature at anu and unsw. He revels in these excesses, all the while pondering the very. For 20 nights in a hotel room in venice, a traveler, recently diagnosed with an incurable illness, writes a letter home to a friend.
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