The visionary first novel by the author of What Dreams May Come in which a man paralyzed by a gunshot reflects on his sordid past and hopes for redemption. Hunger and Thirst is Richard Matheson's first and until now previously unpublished novel, written fifty-plus years ago when Matheson was only twenty-three-years-old. Matheson's agent told him it was unpublishable due to its length and so to that end, Matheson put the manuscript in a drawer and left for California where his writing career changed dramatically. Hunger and Thirst centers around Erick, who lies paralyzed on his hospital bed after being shot during a botched bank robbery. Erick contemplates how his life became such a mess--from his childhood, to his service in the war, his romantic life, and now--and holds out hope to be saved... Perfect for fans of Stephen King's Gerald's Game Praise for Richard Matheson "One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century."--Ray Bradbury "The author who influenced me the most as a writer was Richard Matheson."--Stephen King