{"title":"Ashton Politanoff","description":"\u003cp\u003eAshton Politanoff crafts stories that blend the rich textures of \u003cem\u003ehistorical fiction\u003c\/em\u003e with the emotional depth of \u003cem\u003egeneral fiction\u003c\/em\u003e. Her narratives invite readers into intimate moments, exploring family dynamics and personal reflection through evocative and nuanced storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith titles like \u003cstrong\u003eDad Had a Bad Day\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eYou'll Like it Here\u003c\/strong\u003e, Politanoff's work resonates with those who appreciate character-driven tales that linger long after the final page. Expect contemplative, heartfelt explorations framed by thoughtfully constructed settings.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"youll-like-it-here-by-ashton-politanoff-9781628974034","title":"You'll Like it Here","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYou'll Like it Here\u003c\/i\u003e is a haunting bricolage, divided into three parts, that excavates the forgotten history of Redondo Beach in the early 1900s through old news clippings, advertisements, recipes, and other ephemera. These elements speak to the ills of male stoicism, industrialisation and capitalism, and environmental displacement. Ashton utilised digital archives from the \u003ci\u003eRedondo Reflex\u003c\/i\u003e and other city-adjacent newspapers as the basis for his surrealist account. He masterfully traces a larger shift away from coastal maritime repose in the wake of the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, and World War II, through momentary fragments that feel as real and palpable as they do transient, mythological, and strangely reminiscent of current times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFormally, \u003ci\u003eYou'll Like it Here\u003c\/i\u003e works in conversation with Michael Ondaatje's \u003ci\u003eThe Collected Works of Billy the Kid\u003c\/i\u003e, Maggie Nelson's \u003ci\u003eBluets\u003c\/i\u003e, Amina Cain's \u003ci\u003eIndelicacy\u003c\/i\u003e, and Kathryn Scanlan's \u003ci\u003eAug 9 Fog\u003c\/i\u003e. The novel also embraces a multi-register, journalistic storytelling that questions the tenuous line between objectivity and subjectivity in documenting the unreliability of history—both personal and collective. It brilliantly balances voids of loss, absence, and disappearance with moments of natural transcendence and miraculous phenomena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47601464574188,"sku":"9781628974034","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/e70c343ecf075a66ccc194b7ab33b966.jpg?v=1778017365"},{"product_id":"dad-had-a-bad-day-by-ashton-politanoff-9781917092883","title":"Dad Had a Bad Day","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince losing his job, Ned's sole responsibility has been to look after his six-year-old son while his wife works. When he one day finds his old tennis racquet buried in the garage, he also unearths a part of his former self.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn a whim, and without his wife's knowledge, Ned rejoins his former tennis club - and finds life outside the realm of domesticity. He becomes the captain of a local men's team, reconnects with his old partner, former tennis-prodigy Roland, and commits himself body and soul to building a winning team. But when Roland disappears, Ned's search for his friend threatens not only the path to glory, but his relationship with his son, his marriage, and his mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA meditation on fathers and sons, male friendship, and the all-consuming thrill of competing and winning, \u003cem\u003eDad Had a Bad Day\u003c\/em\u003e is wincingly funny and addictive - and, ultimately, poignant and quietly heartbreaking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e'A funny, moving, often disturbing portrait of men . . . filled with strange detail, bold swerves, and the idiosyncratic language of sport.'\u003c\/em\u003e - Kathryn Scanlan, author of \u003cem\u003eKick the Latch\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e'No one writes about masculinity and community like Ashton Politanoff . . . Authenticity is evident beneath the dark comedy of the team dynamics, sharply observed dialogue, and exploration of one man's intoxication with his own potential.'\u003c\/em\u003e - Lucie Elven\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48021966094572,"sku":"9781917092883","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781917092883-dad-had-a-bad-day.jpg?v=1785285067"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/ashton-politanoff.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}