Whale Music is a novel by Canadian writer Paul Quarrington. It was first published by Doubleday Canada in 1989. The novel's protagonist is Desmond Howl, a reclusive former rock star. He has lived in isolation since his brother, Danny, died in a car accident. Rather than engaging with the outside world, Howl spends his time composing symphonies for the pod of whales that congregate near his dilapidated seaside retreat. Howl's life is turned upside down one morning when he finds a mysterious woman named Claire asleep in his living room. The character of Desmond Howl is loosely based on Brian Wilson. Howl is a heavy drug user and alcoholic whose diet mainly consists of jelly-filled doughnuts. This lifestyle gives Howl a false sense of reality and affects his short-term memory. Quarrington's nonlinear narrative aims to make the reader feel as though they are inside Desmond's mind. Paragraphs are rarely finished without distractions and topic switches. Most of the story is told through Desmond's flashbacks, giving the reader a glimpse into the reclusive rock star's past. Source: Wikipedia (en)