I Dream Of Magda

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.'

Tolstoy wasn't thinking specifically of George and Matthew Harrison when he wrote those words, but maybe he should have been. George Harrison is twenty-six, he lives with his brother Matthew, works in a bowling alley and is afraid of the dark. Reeling from a broken heart, still coping with the trauma of a childhood home invasion and boasting a dysfunctional family history to rival The Simpsons, he spends his days working in a bowling alley and finds rare solace in the giant painting of an alien that sits outside his room. And his brother Matthew is not much better off; he has his own demons to deal with. He recently lost the love of his life in a car accident (one that he was lucky to survive himself), and he finds his solace in constant sleep - and dreams of Magda.

The winner of the 2007 The Australian/Vogel Literary Award, this is a quirky, left-field, yet deeply felt and wholly engaging story of families, love, loss and grieving.

'Quirky, well-observed, genuinely funny. This writer's gift for comedy is matched by his compassionate portrayal of oddball characters.' - Marele Day

'Truthful and surprising, fluid and deeply engaging. - Charlotte Wood