The author of the Stephen Leacock Medal-winning The Best Laid Plans
brings his trademark humour and sharp storytelling to a new novel set in
the high-stakes world of a global public relations agency.
On his first day at Turner King, David Stewart quickly realizes that the
world of international PR (affectionately, perhaps ironically, known as
"the dark side") is a far cry from his previous job on Parliament Hill.
For one, he missed the office memo on the all-black dress code; for
another, there are enough acronyms and jargon to make his head spin.
Before he even has time to find the washroom, David is assigned a major
project: devise a campaign to revitalize North America's interest in the
space program - maybe even show NASA's pollsters that watching a shuttle
launch is more appealing than going out for lunch with friends. The
pressure is on, and before long, David finds himself suggesting the most
out-of-this-world idea imaginable: a Citizen Astronaut lottery that
would send one Canadian and one American to the International Space
Station. Suddenly, David's vaulted into an odyssey of his own,
navigating the corporate politics of a big PR agency; wading through the
murky but always hilarious waters of Canada-U.S. relations; and trying
to hold on to his new job while still doing the right thing.
Equal parts clever and satirical, thoughtful and affecting, Up and
Down is Terry Fallis at his best, confirming his status as a Canadian
literary star.
