Moonlite

by David Foster (Author), David Foster (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  1982

  $12.19

  FROM THE MOST REMOTE AND ONLY PAGAN BRITISH ISLE COMES MOONLITE MCDUFFIE, A PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL ODDITY, WHOSE MATHEMATICAL AND LAY PREACHING TALENTS COMBINE TO GAIN HIM ADMISSION TO JESUS CHRIST COLLEGE, NEWBRIDGE. ALAS, COLLEGE IS NOT ALL ITS NAME MIGHT IMPLY, AND AFTER A SHORT, BUT DISASTROUS STAY THERE MOONLITE FINDS HIMSELF ON BOARD AN EMIGRANT SHIP BOUND FOR THE NEW WEST HIGHLANDS. ONCE ON THE GOLDFIELDS, HE QUICKLY LOSES HIS MEMORY AND ACQUIRES A TAST FOR DRINK. WHEN WE LEAVE HIM, MOONLITE IS ENDORSED AS THE LOCAL MAMBER AND DESTINED FOR THE PREMIERSHIP. MOONLITE IS A MULTIFARIOUS, DOWNBEAT TRAGI-COMEDY, WITHOUT THE MUFFLED CREPE OF PHILOSOPHICAL DESPAIR. IT DELIBERATELY BREAKS THE ILLUSIONS IT CREATES, BUT PRESERVES ITS IMAGES WITHIN A STYLISTICALLY COMPLEX LAYERING OF SCIENTIFIC, RELIGIOUS AND OCCULT SPECULATIONS. IT IS A FARCE IN FOUR ACTS, A STORY OF EXTRAORDINARY ORIGINALITY AND POWER, A LAMENTATION FOR LOST INNOCENCE, AND IN THE LIMIT, A LARRIKIN ALLEGORY OF COLONIAL CONSCIOUSNESS.