100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

πŸŽ‰ Meet Toy Hero - our brand-new toy store, built by the team behind Book Hero

The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break

By Steven Sherrill
Series: Canons
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
UNSETTLING ~ WRY ~ TENDER An unusual and unforgettable take on what it means to be an outsider, an outcast, a misfit. Five thousand years after having escaped Crete, the Minotaur finds himself deep in the American South, living in a trailer park and working as... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
Pre-order
Releases 6th October 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

An unusual and unforgettable take on what it means to be an outsider, an outcast, a misfit.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

UNSETTLING ~ WRY ~ TENDER

An unusual and unforgettable take on what it means to be an outsider, an outcast, a misfit.

Five thousand years after having escaped Crete, the Minotaur finds himself deep in the American South, living in a trailer park and working as a line cook at Grub's Ribs.

He leads a lonely life observing the haphazard human goings on around him, trying in vain to put his flesh-devouring past behind him. Socially inept, he is at best tolerated by mortals. But as his life dissolves into chaos, this broken and alienated immortal awakens to the possibility for happiness and capacity for connection.

Series: Canons

View all
  • Bird by Bird
    Bird by Bird is not just a guide to writing; it's a deeply moving, insightful journey through the mind and spirit of a writer. Anne Lamott, acclaimed novelist and memoirist, shares her wealth of experience in this witty, honest, and profoundly down-to-earth book. A compendium of advice, anecdotes, and encouragement, it has remained a timeless resource for writers and aspiring...
    By Anne Lamott
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Garden of Evening Mists
    The Garden of Evening Mists is the international bestseller shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and the winner of both the Man Asian Literary Prize and the Walter Scott Prize. Teoh Yun Ling was seventeen years old when she first heard about Aritomo and the garden. But a war would come to Malaya, and a decade would pass before she...
    By Tan Twan Eng
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Gift
    The Gift by Lewis Hyde is a profound exploration of the role of creativity in a world increasingly dominated by money and materialism. At its core, this modern masterpiece delves into the very nature of a "gift" and examines how it can inspire and transform our lives, art, and culture. Hyde weaves together insights from literature, anthropology, and psychology to...
    By Lewis Hyde
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Trip to Echo Spring
    Why did numerous celebrated authors become entwined with the grip of alcoholism? In The Trip to Echo Spring, Olivia Laing weaves an evocative journey across America, probing the intricate interplay between creativity and alcohol through the intertwined lives and works of six literary giants: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, John Berryman, John Cheever, and Raymond Carver. Laing embarks...
    By Olivia Laing
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Outrun
    The Outrun by Amy Liptrot is a deeply moving memoir that beautifully narrates the journey of a woman seeking redemption and recovery amidst the rugged, untamed landscapes of the Orkney Islands. After a harrowing decade-long struggle with alcohol addiction, thirty-year-old Amy returns to her childhood home in Orkney, seeking solace and healing. In this hauntingly honest account, she immerses herself...
    By Amy Liptrot
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Hope In The Dark
    Hope In The Dark by Rebecca Solnit is an inspiring exploration of the power of hope amidst the turbulence of contemporary life. In a world often overshadowed by political unrest, environmental challenges, and social inequalities, Solnit presents a compelling argument for maintaining optimism. Through vivid storytelling and profound insight, she unveils the latent potential of social and political movements, illustrating...
    By Rebecca Solnit
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The First Bad Man
    The First Bad Man is a Guardian literary highlight and a Huffington Post 'One to Watch'. 'Astounding', says Lena Dunham, creator of Girls and author of Not That Kind of Girl. The First Bad Man brings together all of Miranda July's talents. It's a book that must be read and purchased in duplicateβ€”one for you, one for a friend. Don't...
    By Miranda July
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • To the River
    Over sixty years after Virginia Woolf's tragic drowning in the River Ouse, Olivia Laing embarks on a journey that intertwines the natural world with poignant reflections on life and literature. In To the River, Laing sets out to walk along the banks of this historic river, tracing its path from its source to the sea. This journey is not just...
    By Olivia Laing
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Under The Skin
    With an introduction by David Mitchell. Isserley spends most of her time driving. But why is she so interested in picking up hitchhikers? And why are they always male, well-built, and alone? An utterly unpredictable and macabre mystery, Under the Skin is a genre-defying masterpiece.
    By Michel Faber
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • My Father's Notebook
    When he was a boy, Aga Akbar, the illegitimate, deaf-mute son of a Persian nobleman, travelled with his uncle to a cave on nearby Saffron Mountain. Once there, he was to transcribe a cuneiform inscription over three thousand years old. Decades later, his son, Ishmael - a political dissident in exile - attempts to translate a notebook filled with a...
    By Kader Abdolah
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Black Lamb and Grey Falcon
    Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West is an extraordinary blend of travel memoir and historical analysis, undertaken during a six-week journey through Yugoslavia in 1937. Spanning over 1,000 pages, this epic work offers a detailed exploration of the landscapes, cultures, and political tensions of a region on the precipice of war. West meticulously documents her travels while engaging...
    By Rebecca West
    Paperback
    $5500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Sea Around Us
    The Sea Around Us is a seminal work that takes readers on an extraordinary journey through the vast and mysterious oceans that cover our planet. With the deft touch of a seasoned storyteller, Rachel Carson reveals the origins of the seas, their dynamic processes, and their profound impact on life throughout Earth's history. Her narrative gracefully interweaves scientific facts with...
    By Rachel Carson
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781837264018

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 July 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Canons

Edition: Main - Cult Canons

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 19.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 204.0mm

Weight: 225g

Pages: 320

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Pre-order Books Pre-order General Fiction Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Series: Canons Steven Sherrill

About the Author

Steven Sherrill is the author of five novels, a collection of poetry and a banjo laden Minotaur heavy memoir. He earned a community college welding diploma and an MFA in Poetry from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Recently retired from Penn State University as Professor of English and Integrative Arts, he may spend the next decade making puppets.

stevensherrill.com

Also by Steven Sherrill

View all
  • The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break
    The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break
    Five thousand years after leaving the Cretan labyrinth, the Minotaur β€” or M as he is known to his colleagues β€” is working as a line chef at Grub's Rib in Carolina, keeping his horns down, trying in vain to put his past behind him. He leads an ordered lifestyle in a shabby trailer park where he tinkers with cars,...
    By Steven Sherrill
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Score
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession... Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Score now for the perfect friends with benefits romance! He knows how to score, on and off the ice... Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn't have...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    By Sarah A. Parker
    Hardback
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Goal
    Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Mistake
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Mistake now for the perfect second chance romance! He's a player in more ways than one . . . College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants....
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    On Mystic Lake
    One of the greatest storytellers of our time - Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school in England. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Left alone in the beautiful California house which was once a home, Annie...
    By Kristin Hannah
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    By Andy Weir
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Legacy
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from the Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Legacy now for the much-anticipated answer to the question: Where are they now? Four stories. Four couples. Three years of real life after graduation . . . A wedding....
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β€” Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β€” Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β€” Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β€” Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β€” Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    By Caro Claire Burke
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Land
    Inspired by the mapping of Ireland in the mid nineteenth century, Land, theΒ new novel from the author of Hamnet, is at once intimate and epic: a portrait of a family navigating a legacy of upheaval and loss with love and hope. On a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic, TomΓ‘s and his reluctant son,Β Liam, are working for the great...
    By Maggie O'Farrell
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all