A Fraction of the Whole

From his prison cell, Jasper Dean tells the unlikely story of his scheming father Martin, his crazy Uncle Terry and how the three of them upset - mostly unintentionally - an entire continent.

Meet the Deans.

Heroes or Criminals? Crackpots or Visionaries? Relatives or Enemies?

It's a simple family story. . .

The fact is, the whole of Australia despises my father more than any other man, just as they adore my uncle more than any other man. I might as well set the story straight about both of them.'

From his prison cell, Jasper Dean tells the unlikely story of his scheming father Martin, his crazy Uncle Terry and how the three of them upset - mostly unintentionally - an entire continent. Incorporating death, parenting (good and bad kinds), one labyrinth, first love, a handbook for criminals, a scheme to make everyone rich and an explosive suggestion box, Steve Toltz's A Fraction of the Whole is a hilarious, heartbreaking story of families and how to survive them.

'Riotously funny. . . deserves a place next to A Confederacy of Dunces.' Wall Street Journal

'A rich father-and-son story packed with incident, humour and characters reminiscent in styles of Charles Dickens and John Irving. . . A Fraction of the Whole soars like a rocket.' LA Times

'A grand achievement and the debut of a great comic talent. But it also has a heart. . . go away and read it.' Sunday Times

'Toltz brings all the energy and assurance of a young Peter Carey to this burlesque, bravura performance.' Irish Times

'A gloriously absorbing, preposterous and funny excursion to the brink of madness and the meaning of life.' Sunday Telegraph

About the Author

Steve Toltz was born in Sydney, Australia in 1972. His first novel, A Fraction of the Whole, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. His second novel, Quicksand, won the 2017 Russell Prize for Humour.