Poor Ghost
The intertwining lives of a retired salesman and a rock band
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Turner Publishing Company
Published:2nd May '24
£23.99
Supplier delay - available to order, but may take longer than usual.
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£12.99(9781684429738)
A private jet crash intertwines the life of Caleb Crane with the storied history of Poor Ghost, revealing the complexities of fame and personal legacy.
On a September afternoon in Santa Barbara, a private jet carrying the members of Poor Ghost—one of America’s most storied rock bands—plunges into the backyard of Caleb Crane, a retired insurance salesman. The incident serves as a pivotal moment, intertwining Caleb's life with the tumultuous history of the band. As the narrative unfolds, readers are taken on a journey through the evolution of Poor Ghost, from its humble beginnings as a working-class punk band to its rise as rock icons, reflecting the highs and lows of fame.
The story oscillates between the immediate aftermath of the crash and the rich oral history of the band, revealing the personal struggles and triumphs of its members. Caleb, whose life is turned upside down by this unexpected event, finds himself reflecting on his own past and the choices that led him to this moment. The juxtaposition of his quiet life with the chaotic world of rock and roll creates a compelling contrast that draws readers in.
Through engaging storytelling, Poor Ghost explores themes of legacy, identity, and the often unpredictable nature of life. As Caleb navigates the fallout from the crash, he learns to confront his own dreams and regrets, ultimately discovering that the past is never truly behind us. This captivating narrative invites readers to ponder the impact of fame and the connections that bind us all.
"As you read David Starkey’s Poor Ghost,you’ll be thinking deeply about how we got from Boston to QAnon, from Casey Kasem to Kyle Rittenhouse: what it all means to you, and what it says about us. But you won’t notice you’re thinking, because you’ll be laughing too hard as Stacey the retired librarian knocks out knife-wielding Álvaro de Campos with a jug of rosé to keep him from killing you in your own backyard while other Halloween-costumed fans of the aging rock band whose plane crashed there a while back livestream the fracas. By the time you realize how involved you are in the deepening mystery, it will be too late to get out.” —H. L. Hix, author of Legible Heavens and The Death of H. L. Hix
"Poor Ghost opens with a bang and a fire that chars a shattered Cessna and a towering pine tree. It ends with another bang from an exploding brushfire that consumes a massive 70 acres and a central character. In between, this highly original novel—unlike any I’ve ever read—shifts among second-person revelations, text exchanges, rock magazine interviews, news articles, and government reports, exploring the ghosts of those departed and those about to be. There’s an invasion of groupies, lunatic murderers, a missing dog, and the mystery of what caused the plane crash. David Starkey makes it all meaningful, bringing the dead to life and offering rich, inventive entertainment." —Walter Cummins, author of Where We Live and Seeking Authenticity
ISBN: 9781684429721
Dimensions: 215mm x 139mm x 19mm
Weight: unknown
320 pages
New edition