From the acclaimed author of the internationally bestselling THE YOUNGS: THE BROTHERS WHO BUILT AC/DC (St Martin's Press) comes an extraordinary tale brought to an international readership for the first time: THE GLIMPSE.
First published by Hachette Livre under another title in his native Australia, this is Jesse Fink's startlingly honest, deeply personal account of emotional and mental oblivion after divorce, interwoven with his experiences as an accidental "player" in a world where dating has become a blood sport and finding a true connection is harder than ever because of the distractions provided by technology. It could be the story of so many of us. It is the story of so many of us.
Like a lot of men, Jesse Fink never thought it would happen to him. But it did. His wife of 10 years and mother of his child walked out on him and into the arms of another man.
In that moment he lost his best friend, his soul mate, his family, his identity. His wife's new lover even got his dog.
Fink's search for love and pleasure saw him jump headlong into the freewheeling and sometimes dangerous world of online dating. He crossed the Pacific for doomed affairs. He disastrously moved in - sight unseen - with his high-school dream girl, a woman he hadn't spoken to for 25 years but reunited with on Facebook. He flew off to Hollywood to connect with a beautiful woman he sparked with online and found himself in the kitchen of the real-life Renée Zellweger. And he managed to get his heart broken all over again with a brilliant but turbulent young artist.
With remarkable frankness, Jesse opens up about his complicity in the failure of his marriage, his struggles as a single dad, and his desperate desire to find love. He shares it all - no matter how confronting.
His chance at personal salvation finally comes in the unconditional love of his young daughter.
Media Reviews:
*** A PRI Public Radio International Best Books of 2014 Author ***
"An excellent writer and storyteller... compelling reading. Fink's honesty is admirable, his story bittersweet and his experiences will make the reader squirm."
- Daily Telegraph
"Like Penthouse Letters with post-orgasmic guilt... one man's journey into the 'gratification now' of the internet while slowly accepting his complicity in his divorce, before his sanity is salvaged by the unconditional love of his daughter. An engrossing read."
- Herald Sun
"An insightful exploration of male sexuality. Fink's torrid tale invites readers to consider the ways in which our consumer-driven society, focused on social media, has changed human sexual endeavours and relationships. His deeply honest and authentic narrative allows us to journey with him, through the bedrooms of beautiful women around the world, as he struggles to find peace and comfort through intimacy. THE GLIMPSE is an extraordinary depiction of how sex, even too much sex, can be a normal and healthy part of coping and grief in the life of a man."
- Dr David Ley, PhD, author, The Myth of Sex Addiction
"X-rated, honest and compelling, this is a must-read."
- Men's Health
"A great book."
- Penthouse
"Harrowing... [it has] an authenticity sorely lacking in similar works."
- Sydney Morning Herald
