Symphony for the Man
1999. Winter. Bondi. Harry’s been on the streets so long he could easily forget what time is. So Harry keeps an eye on it. Every morning. Then he heads to the beach to chat with the gulls. Or he wanders through the streets in search of food, clothes, Jules. When the girl on the bus sees him, lonely and cold in the bus shelter that he calls home, she thinks about how she can help. She decides to write a symphony for him.
So begins a poignant and gritty tale of homelessness and shelter, of the realities of loneliness and hunger, and of the hopes and dreams of those who often go unnoticed on our streets. This is the story of two outcasts – one a young woman struggling to find her place in an alien world, one an older man seeking refuge and solace from a life in tatters. It is also about the transformative power of care and friendship, and the promise of escape that music holds.
An uplifting and heartbreaking story that demands empathy. Amid the struggles to belong and fit in, we are reminded that small acts of kindness matter. And big dreams are possible.
MARCH 2020 | ISBN 9781925950069 | Paperback | 234 x 153 mm | 225 pages
Simple, rippling, meditative prose details a miracle of kindness.
—Carmel Bird
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Author Events
In this podcast we caught up with Inner West Council's own Sarah Brill to discuss her recently published second novel Symphony for the Man.
Local author Sarah Brill and local podcaster Claudine Tinellis discuss the genesis of Sarah's latest book 'Symphony for the Man' in our Ask the Author event.
Reviews
PICK OF THE WEEK. Fairfax Media.
Sarah Brill’s Symphony for the Man has already been optioned for film, and this quiet, luminous book might just be perfect for a screen adaptation.
A tale of two people from the margins of society united for a moment by music, by kindness, this short novel ripples along with gentle insistence towards a surreal but ultimately hopeful climax.
— Sydney Morning Herald | The Age | WA Today | Brisbane Times
Sarah Brill’s second novel Symphony for the Man is an exquisite book. Read more.
—ANZ LitLovers blog
Brill’s writing is as tender and simple as the story she tells. Her images are striking. She looks squarely at her characters without portraying them as either heroes or victims. She gives us a glimpse into to lives of those whom we usually ignore or avoid. I recommend this book gladly. Read more.
— Me, You and Books
I’m finding it hard to put my thoughts about this beautiful book into words. Read more.
— The Burgeoning Bookshelf