Fascination with machines leads to
The Wolsenburg Clock novel
Valley author Jay Ruzesky poses near city hall's vintage clock tower with his first novel The Wolsenburg Clock.
Machines, especially timepieces, fascinate valley writer Jay Ruzesky.
Machines, especially timepieces, fascinate valley writer Jay Ruzesky.
His first novel The Wolsenburg Clock – being released today at Vancouver Island University’s Cowichan campus — explores 14th-century folks who invented and built an astronomical clock in Austria.
His fictional 172-pager turns on a Canadian academic who helps save the priceless artifact during the Second World War.
That global conflict followed what Ruzesky calls “a satirical illustration of the battle between the church and science as both desire to be at the forefront of social conscience.”
“This book’s about a fictional clock and a fictional town but it’s based on the Strasburg clock in France,” he said.
“The main character is fascinated with the clock and is drawn into it.”
Ruzesky got wound up about old timepieces while reading of Strasburg’s famed clock just before the millennium.
“The guy who built that clock built it to last 10,000 years.
“There are gears in the clock including one that only turns only 400 years to account for the leap year.”
But his novel also aims to slow readers down so they can ponder ingenious inventions.
“It’s about wonder and objects that astonish us and what it must have meant to build that clock.
“We’re often in too much of a hurry to take these ideas in, and there’s something profound about letting ourselves be bowled over about something,” said Ruzesky, 44.
The native Edmontonian has also published three books of poetry.
Ruzesky is a VIU professor of English, creative writing and film studies.
Your ticket:
What: Book launch of The Wolsenburg Clock
When: Oct. 14, 4 p.m.
Where: Vancouver Island University, Cowichan Campus, Cowichan Way, Duncan
Tickets: Free. Call 250-746-3500.
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