{"title":"Todd Babiak","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTodd Babiak\u003c\/strong\u003e crafts immersive narratives that explore the intricacies of human relationships and the subtle complexities of everyday life. His stories, grounded in \u003cem\u003egeneral fiction\u003c\/em\u003e, often delve into themes of personal transformation and the humour found in ordinary moments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect thoughtful character-driven plots that balance emotional depth with a conversational style. Babiak's writing invites reflection on both the challenges and triumphs that define the human experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"what-gentlemen-do-by-todd-babiak-9781923670129","title":"What Gentlemen Do","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn uplifting and outrageously funny story of a young man on the brink, wrestling with rejection and consequence, who finds wisdom in unlikely places.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘Exuberant, frequently hilarious, and deadly serious about saying the things we won't admit to ourselves. I absolutely loved it.’\u003c\/em\u003e Jock Serong\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThings haven't been going well for Waylon Gans. His hometown of Walleye is known to be a shithole, he's barely employed, and the sublime Derby Froese wants to keep him in the friendzone. And that was before he fell in with a right-wing influencer, accidentally started a riot, and people on the internet began to hate him. Now Derby can't even look at him, his best friend Solomon feels betrayed, and somehow his life has got even worse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith nothing to lose, he enrols in an ancient philosophy class and discovers Stoicism. What would Marcus Aurelius do? he asks himself. And: What is my path of virtue? And also: How can I get Derby to be impressed with me?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd while the answers might not change everything, they could make a whole lot of things better in Walleye. Not just for Waylon, but for everyone around him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat Gentlemen Do\u003c\/em\u003e is a great-hearted jewel of a book: wise, optimistic, occasionally heartbreaking and frequently laugh-out-loud funny.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Funny, furious, and quietly devastating...Todd Babiak has written one of the most hopeful things I've read about our relationship to cities and place in years.'\u003c\/em\u003e Richard Florida, author of \u003cem\u003eThe New Urban Crisis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Few writers can bring together humour, heart, and hope more thoughtfully and powerfully than Todd Babiak, even in a story set against a very bleak but all too real societal landscape. Brilliantly written, this novel tears you down and then lifts you up. Masterful.'\u003c\/em\u003e Terry Fallis, two-time winner of the Leacock Medal for Humour\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48340183154924,"sku":"9781923670129","price":40.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781923670129-what-gentlemen-do-1.jpg?v=1789013794"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/todd-babiak.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}