Andrew Day embarks on a bicycle trip from Halifax to Kingston, his childhood home. As he goes, the dual narratives of Andrew's life emerge: the slow, painful death of his father and the disappearance of Betty, who may be lost to him forever. He contemplates, too, the nature of desire.

En route, Andrew sloughs off his fears, material goods, and attachments. In episodes of intensifying violence, he leaves the highway and rides the back roads under the cover of night. By the time he arrives home, an epiphany greets him.

Darryl Whetter writes with compelling intensity of athleticism and degeneration, isolation and community, the weight of desire and the joy and anguish present in all things.

About the Author
Darryl Whetter is the author of A Sharp Tooth in the Fur, named by the Globe and Mail as one of the top 100 books for 2003. His stories have appeared in Best Canadian Stories '05, the Fiddlehead, Prism International, broken pencil, Zygote, Exile, the Danforth Review, and the New Quarterly. He is a regular guest on CBC Radio's Talking Books and a contributor to the Globe and Mail, the Vancouver Sun, the Toronto Star, and the Chronicle Herald.

Reviews
" I found myself drawn into Andrew's story, almost against my will. That says something for Whetter's skill and talent." -- Catherine Thompson * The Hamilton Spectator *
"Whetter writes like a dream and he deserves our attention. He takes readers on a ride that is often bumpy but no less satisfying when you reach the final destination." -- Elizabeth Patterson * The Chronicle Herald *
"Whetter's story will surely pull you in with its poignant portions." -- Anna Coutts * Scene Magazine *
"What strikes most about The Push and the Pull was a feeling of authenticity. Though it thrums at a high volume, full of grief, desire, joy and regret, the story and its characters are believable." -- Anna Kemp * Monday Magazine *



Book Information
ISBN 9780864925077
Author Darryl Whetter
Format Paperback
Page Count 328
Imprint Goose Lane Editions
Publisher Goose Lane Editions
Weight(grams) 430g
Dimensions(mm) 216mm * 140mm * 20mm