When On High

A timely and poignant story of masculinity, addiction and grief told from the perspectives of two Jewish-American brothers coming of age.Phillip grows up in the glow of his mother's adoration, moulded by her praise and attention into a young man who values intellect above all else. However, his introspective mind soon becomes a prison, one that distances him from the rest of the world socially, romantically, politically and can only be escaped using drugs and alcohol.An outsider to the closeness shared by Phillip and their mother, elder brother Donald is shaped by the long-distance phone calls he receives from their absentee father. This father-son bond feels entirely predicated on Donald's success on the wrestling mat, where he spends his teenage years grappling with competitors and his sense of self.After an unexpected family tragedy strikes, the brothers are pulled apart and reunited over the course of their lives, forcing them to reckon with the legacy that they've inherited.A novel that is as much family saga as cultural excavation of modern masculinity, When On High asks what it means to become men in a country losing grip with what a man should be. Perfect for fans of The Topeka School by Ben Lerner, Flesh by David Szalay and The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.'A big, openhearted book about brothers and grief and language and the long derangement of our political realities... I had the rarest experience reading this, which is that I dreaded getting to the end. An immensely enjoyable novel. What an achievement' - Stuart Nadler, author of Rooms for Vanishing'A gift of a novel - a living, breathing testament of brotherly love that explores toxic masculinity, addiction and grief. It truly floored me. The kind of book you force friends to read so you can talk about it, again and again' - Louise Nealon, author of Everything That Is Beautiful'Roseman utilises the novel form to its fullest extent. It is a sublime and compassionate portrait of young manhood and the violent undertones of 21st-century America' - Djamel White, author of All Them Dogs'Vivid and lucid, stylish and sensuous, When On High is a novel of emotional precision and quiet authority, delivering human insight along with the profound pleasure of reading... Few writers are attempting work of this kind, and even fewer carrying it off as Roseman does' - Brendan Mac Evilly, author of Deep Burn'A sharply perceptive, timely and captivating book, challenging and provocative in all the best ways. An absolute must-read' - Ronan Ryan, author of The Fractured Life of Jimmy Dice'A marvellous novel. Invigorating, timely, engrossing and rich. I couldn't put it down and I can't wait to read it again' - Declan Toohey, author of Perpetual ComedownThis novel contains depictions of substance abuse and disordered eating.