Car Crash

What is it like to survive a crash that kills your best friends, and how do you move on? From an exceptional debut writer comes a stunning memoir about grief, perseverance and courage.

'Scarifying and unforgettable ... A brave and unsettling account.' -Tim Winton

'A heart-soaring act of literary bravery' -Trent Dalton

At seventeen, Lech Blaine walked away unharmed from a car crash that killed three of his friends and left two in comas.

On a May night in 2009, seven boys in Toowoomba, Queensland, piled into a car. They never arrived at their destination. The driver made a routine error, leading to a head-on collision.

In the aftermath, rumours about speed and drink driving erupted. There was intense scrutiny from media and police. Lech used alcohol to numb his grief and social media to show stoicism, while secretly spiralling towards depression and disgrace.

This is a riveting account of family, friendship, grief and love after tragedy. In a country where class and sport dominate, and car crashes compete with floods and pandemics for headlines, our connection with others is what propels us on. Heartbreaking and darkly hilarious, Car Crash is a story for our times.

'One of the best writers of his generation' -Benjamin Law

'Shines with a fierce intelligence' -Kristina Olsson

'This book is for everyone - it truly captures something of "modern Australia" in a tenderly told story of one young man's tumultuous coming-of-age.' -Bri Lee

Shortlisted for the Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance
Shortlisted for the Queensland Premier's Non-Fiction Book Award
Shortlisted for the National Biography Award