All That Remains
All That Remains explores our frailty in various forms – physical, emotional, spiritual – as we march onwards to the drumbeat of time. Some poems are reflections on quiet yet devastating moments of clarity, of the sort that mark turning points in our lives. Some are musings of an outsider staring at familiar surroundings in disbelief. Others are attempts to find meaning and fulfilment in the dreamscape of the modern world, while grappling with the question of what it takes to lead a good life. Drawing them all together is the author’s conviction that language is music, that words have a meaning defined not only by dictionaries but also by their rhythm, melody and counterpoint.
'Tesarsch has followed two very different professions – music and the law – and has lived in one of Europe’s most deeply cultured and darkly evocative cities. His extensive life experience shows in every line of his writing.' – Kerryn Goldsworthy, Sydney Morning Herald
'If the subject is rare for OzLit, so is the restrained talent on display.' – Geordie Williamson, The Australian
'An elegant writer with a gift for metaphor.' – Cameron Woodhead, The Age
'Authenticity comes through in his descriptions of emotional and intellectual turmoil, which seem to owe more to authorial experience than to imagination.' – Miriam Cosic, The Australian
John Tesarsch is the author of four acclaimed novels: The Philanthropist, The Last Will and Testament of Henry Hoffman, Dinner with the Dissidents (shortlisted for the Colin Roderick Award), and When Jokers Were Kings.
Previously, John was a cellist. He won the national final of the Apex Australia/Robert Stolz Scholarship, which enabled him to study at the Vienna Conservatorium, as a guest of the city. He attended international master courses and performed in concert halls, and on radio and television, until he developed an allergy to cello rosin that ended his career. After travelling widely, he returned to Australia, completed degrees in law and musicology, pursued a career as a barrister and survived tongue cancer, before he turned to writing. He now lives in Melbourne.