An End in Itself - by Terry Fallis (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From two-time Leacock Medal winner and bestselling author Terry Fallis comes a slim parable of a novel that imagines a world where literature rules--and one humble writer discovers that success can be the strangest fiction of all.

What if novelists were the new rock stars?

Malcolm Forde is a novelist who's made peace with the modest life of a working writer--half-empty book events, glowing reviews that don't sell books, and the quiet satisfaction of a good sentence. But after falling asleep while writing late one December night, Malcolm wakes up in a world that looks very much like his own . . . except everything has changed. Writers are now global celebrities, lit tours fill stadiums, and he's suddenly rich, adored, and world-famous.

As Malcolm is swept into a surreal whirlwind of fame--including private jets, red carpets, and rabid fans--he starts to lose touch with the quiet, solitary art that once gave his life meaning and purpose. An End in Itself is a wry, thoughtful, and deeply human satire that interrogates our obsession with celebrity and success while celebrating the enduring power of the written word.

About the Author

TERRY FALLIS grew up in Toronto and earned an engineering degree from McMaster University. Drawn to politics at an early age, he worked for cabinet ministers in Ottawa and at Queen's Park. His first novel, The Best Laid Plans, began as a podcast, then was self-published, won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, was re-published by McClelland & Stewart to great reviews, was crowned the 2011 winner of CBC's Canada Reads as "the essential Canadian novel of the decade," and was adapted as a CBC Television series and a stage musical. His next two novels, The High Road and Up and Down, were finalists for the Leacock Medal, and in 2015, he won the prize a second time, for his fourth book, No Relation. His other novels, Poles Apart (a Leacock Medal finalist), One Brother Shy, Albatross, Operation Angus, A New Season, and The Marionette, were all national bestsellers. A skilled public speaker, he lives in Toronto with his wife.