|
“The stories collected [here] describe the conflicts of adolescence, romantic and domestic turmoil, life in small southern towns, academic life, and wartime experiences, and they range in manner from the naturalistic to the near-farcical. Garrett’s stories frequently sound the theme of human cruelty. . . . This abiding misanthropy does, however, allow for the saving grace of humor. . . . As a whole, [the volume] shows Mr. Garrett as a master of this distinctive form.”—New York Times Book Review “Wisely, the book closes with a long story, `Noise of Strangers,’ which it is no exaggeration to refer to as a contemporary classic. . . . In it Garrett’s strengths are at their height: atmosphere, characterization, dialogue, scope. Read three or four times, it increases its force. It is very sad, and very funny, and has the kind of gritty pathos which makes it a small masterpiece. Alone, it would be, as we say, worth the price of admission.”—Washington Post “Reading this collection of thirty-eight short stories . . . is like savoring a tasty dish, enjoying it all the while, sorry when it’s finished.”—United Press International
George Garrett—novelist, short-story writer, poet, editor, and critic—is the author of twenty-eight books, including the novels The King of Babylon Shall Not Come Against You, Poison Pen, Death of the Fox, and Do, Lord, Remember Me. He is Henry Hoyns Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Virginia.
|
