Waiting for the Man

Longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize

An advertising man searches for meaning in this ＂fascinating dissection of the media world we live in . . . A thought-provoking road-trip tale.＂ (Chicago Tribune)

In his mid-thirties, Joe works as an advertising copywriter for a slick New York agency. But he feels disillusioned with his life, and finds himself experiencing dreams about a mysterious man, seeing him on the street, hearing his voice. Joe decides to listen. So he waits on his stoop, day and night, for instructions.

A local reporter takes notice, and soon Joe has become a media sensation, the center of a storm. When the Man tells Joe to ＂go west,＂ he does. What follows is a compelling and visceral story about the struggle to find something more in life, told in two interwoven threads -- Joe at the beginning of his journey in Manhattan, and at the end of it as he finds new purpose on a ranch in Montana under the endless sky.

Arjun Basu is a writer and editor. In 2008, he published Squishy, a collection of short stories that was shortlisted for the ReLit Prize. His stories have been published in literary journals across the country, including Matrix and Joyland. He also writes 140-character short stories he calls Twisters on Twitter (@ArjunBasu), an obsession that has won him a Shorty Award, lots of press, and a worldwide following. Arjun lives in Montreal with his wife, son, and dog. This is his first novel.