A Matter of Life and Death or Something - Softcover

A flourishing member of the Halifax literary scene, Ben Stephenson's short stories have appeared in The Coast and the anthology Rememberer. He has completed writing residencies at the Tatamagouche Centre and the Banff Centre. His visual art, including sculpture and installation, has been exhibited in various galleries. Some of his own artwork illustrates A Matter of Life and Death or Something. Stephenson grew up in New Brunswick and has lived on both coasts of Canada. He continues to live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"Ben Stephenson takes us down the rabbit hole into the refracted and hilarious world of a child on a very serious quest. A Matter of Life and Death or Something will leave you less grown up -- and all the wiser for it. Curiouser and curiouser. A marvel of a book." (Jessica Grant, author of Come Thou, Tortoise)

"The novel features a swirling narrative that moves between three distinct yet oddly similar perspectives...[a] captivating story." (Quill & Quire)

"Arthur is truly the novel's best feature. He's annoying yet undeniably endearing. He has the charm and sassiness of a Roald Dahl character -- think of the unnamed boy from The Witches or the title character in James and the Giant Peach." (Winnipeg Free Press)

"Boy Wonder. Possibly the most notable novel to be released by a New Brunswick author this year...At just 24 years old, with little formal practice, Stephenson has achieved every writers' dream." (Telegraph-Journal)

"...Through these three distinct, yet brilliantly overlapping voices, Stephenson weaves an interesting tale...Stephenson's novel is ambitious and it asks more questions than it attempts to answer, a fact that will no doubt frustrate some readers, but in this respect he's successfully replicated what it feel like to be alive..." (Opinionless.com)

"Ben Stephenson's debut novel is intimate, overwhelming and personal." (The Coast)

"A Matter of Life and Death is subtle, imaginative, and touching." (Jennifer Croll Georgia Straight)

"With a small cast of characters, a notebook, a scattering of illustrations...and a startling ability to get into the head of a 10-year-old and a distressed young adult, Ben Stephenson has created a novel that covers the vast range of human emotion. Everything works together seamlessly to show that as Arthur tries to find out about Phil, he also finds about himself." (Candace Fertile Vancouver Sun)

"...In a whimsical move, the chapters narrated by Phil and Arthur are intersected by brief observations by the trees in the forest, which bear witness to each characterï??s actions: 'In the wind we whisper secrets -- it is true. We speak it all softly and simply, as human mothers send promises through the tiny ears of their little ones.' Stephenson admits to a romantic view of nature that provides artistic inspiration..." (Megan Power Chronicle Herald)

"...It's a heartbreaking, heartwarming, beautiful, funny, and imaginative offering. This book! I thought last night when I finished. This gorgeous gem of a book! Why isn't Ben Stephenson on everyone's list?" (Bella's Bookshelves)