Presence: A Novel

Treasure Island is a human-made island in the San Francisco Bay, and a performance troupe dressed in hazmat suits is there to explore its history and ecology. Earth scientists are searching for the golden spike, a geologic marker that synchronously indicates a definitive time change in the strata. Encounter and contact between different timeframes, cultures, ecologies, persons, intuitions, ways of living, and worlding are the major elements of consequence, action, implication, and resounding significance. These junctures are moments of possibility, of violence, and/or of budding community.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2024
Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Treasure Island, a man-made island in the San Francisco Bay, is home to a performance troupe dressed in hazmat suits who use intricate gestures that resemble toxic remediation. As they delve deeper into the site's history and ecology, enigmatic presences invade their spacetime, leaving them to wonder if they are from the past, present, or future. What is the significance of their sudden arrival? What happens when historical and geological eras converge?

Meanwhile, earth scientists across the globe are on a mission to find the golden spike, a geologic marker that signifies a significant time change in the strata, transitioning from the Holocene epoch to the Anthropocene. Within their data lies Earth's biography, but how does humanity fit into this chronology?

Presence, encounter, and contact are the driving forces behind consequence, action, implication, and resounding significance in this novel. These interactions occur between different timeframes, cultures, ecologies, individuals, intuitions, ways of living, and worldings. At these junctures, possibilities emerge, ranging from violence to the birth of new communities.

As the troupe on Treasure Island continues their exploration, they become increasingly aware of the interconnectedness of all things and the potential for both destruction and creation. They begin to question the boundaries between past, present, and future, and the role that humanity plays in shaping the course of history.

The earth scientists, meanwhile, are piecing together the intricate details of Earth's biography, trying to understand how humanity has impacted the planet and its ecosystems. They explore the ways in which human activities have altered the natural world, from deforestation to climate change, and consider the consequences of these actions for future generations.

Through their journeys, both the performance troupe and the earth scientists come to realize that the past, present, and future are not separate entities, but are intertwined in a complex web of cause and effect. They begin to see the world in a new light, one that recognizes the importance of balance, respect, and responsibility for the natural world.

In the end, Presence offers a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of time, culture, and the human-natural world. It challenges us to think critically about our place in history and the impact we are having on the planet, and encourages us to work towards a more sustainable and harmonious future.

Weight: 462g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780820365305