Wholly original and entertaining, Augusta de Rooter’s Still Life of a Salesman is unlike any book you’ve read before. He’s honest, bitter, sarcastic, unapologetic, and . . . he’s been diagnosed as brain dead. Meet Ted: the protagonist in Still Life of a Salesman. Unfortunately, Ted doesn’t shake hands. Doesn’t (or rather, can’t) even acknowledge the people moving in and out of his room. That’s because nothing goes on behind his vacant staring eyes. Except that isn’t true. Though declared brain dead, Ted is wide awake, and he’s wasting away on his deathbed while surrounded by family members, who have less-than-kind things to say about him. With nothing else to do, he delves into his past. But it’s only a matter of time until his life support is removed. In the meantime, though, hear Ted out. De Rooter has crafted a fascinating premise: a dying man, trapped within his own body, forced to confront his life as the world moves on without him. It taps into a question many have quietly wondered—if you’re in a vegetative state or a coma, can you still hear everything? Ted has experienced the pains and joys of being a salesman, lover, husband, father, and friend, and recalling it all now may be the last chance he gets. To men, Ted says, “Women cost money, that’s the bottom line.” To salespeople, Ted says, “Some of my best commissions have come from word of mouth, which is one of the master keys to success in sales.” To readers, Ted says it all. Once it begins, Still Life of a Salesman is difficult to set aside, largely because of Ted’s unforgettable voice. Distinct and deeply idiosyncratic, it’s the kind of voice you would recognize anywhere—sharp, unfiltered, and entirely its own. And with this voice, Ted doesn’t hold back. Revealing both the good and the bad, he exposes his marriage, his childhood, and his children. There are also the women he interacted with, and Ted doesn’t forget them. Just as he remembers his best friend, Benny. Despite the large cast featured in Ted’s life, all of the characters feel well developed enough to jump off the page and into real life. Gut-wrenchingly sad yet funny, Still Life of a Salesman bravely explores death and life through a not-so-everyday protagonist. Between its engaging plot, strong characters, and de Rooter’s evocative writing, Still Life of a Salesman is absolutely a must read. Impossible to put down, this novel proves that even in stillness, a life can speak volumes. —CANREADS BOOK REVIEW Published by Lulu Press, Inc. www.augustaderooter.ca