Subtitled “astounding tales from tomorrow”, consisting of 23 short stories of future times and parallel universes. There are contributions by some very fine authors: Douglas Coupland, William Gibson, Jessica Grant, Yann Martel, Heather O’Neill, Neil Smith …. Uneven to be sure, but worth a read.
Category: Short Stories
Runaway- Alice Munro
The recent death of Ms. Munro prompted me to (re)read this amazing book, consisting of 8 single-word-titled stories. Her literary gift is to write about everyday people ( mostly women) in both common and extraordinary circumstances. There is an unparalleled purity of language – she a national treasure.
The Islands – Dionne Irving
Short stories about the Jamaican diaspora, women immigrants or descendants of immigrants. With multiple locations over many years, the poignant stories reveal the complexities of live, issues of identity and belonging, of uncertainty. Overall, very moving and deservedly Giller short-listed.
Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century – Kim Fu
Ms. Fu is a very fine writer (The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore), but this new book is a Giller short-listed collection of 12 short stories. The impact of these stories is variable; some are deliciously creepy, a blend of emotional realism and surreal imagery, Highly recommended.
Sweet Land Stories – E.L Doctorow
Generally, I don’t read short stories because they are … too short to be engaging (with Alice Munro stories a notable exception). This collection of five stories is also an exception: varied narratives with different times and locations, but with remarkable insight into who we are as a people and how we live. Thanks Hilary and Gerry, for the loan.
The Two Of Us – Kathy Page
Last month I raved about Ms. Page’s novel Dear Evelyn. In contrast, this book is composed of very fine short stories. Many of you will know that I typically do not like short stories but Page’s writing makes each story a joy to read. There is impeccable detail when describing gardens, for example. But the best stories are about relationships. The tension in a meeting with a genetic counsellor is palpable and heart-breaking. Page is a literary treasure.
Property – Lionel Shriver
As a general rule, I do not read short stories (with a notable exception for the sublime writing of Alice Munro) for a simple and somewhat trivial reason: short stories are too short to engage me. However, Lionel Shriver is a fabulous author (Big Brother, Double Fault, the fantastic We Need To Talk About Kevin…) so I decided to read her first book with ten short stories and two novellas. Shriver is such a keen observer and reporter of human behaviour, and these stories, almost without without exception, are masterful. As is clear from the title, the stories are about the relationships people have with possessions. Her writing is insightful, sometimes hilarious and such a pleasure to read in this format. Highly recommended.
Difficult Women – Roxane Gay
This is a book of previously published short stories. As a collective book, the story-telling becomes even more powerful. Gay’s writing is both compelling and disturbing. The situations she describes are amazingly diverse: raunchy and dangerous with some awesomely poor decision-making. There are situations of danger, physical and sexual abuse. So be warned: this is a book with impact.
What David Read 