- Paperback: 241 pages
- Publisher: Triquarterly; 1 edition (Oct 25 1995)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0810150220
- ISBN-13: 978-0810150225
- Product Dimensions: 20.3 x 12.8 x 1.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 295 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- See Complete Table of Contents
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Anyone who has ever toyed with the idea of staying in school an extra year in order to delay the sobering responsibilities of adulthood will identify with the people in Chaon's first collection. Familial burdens, sexual confusion and unchallenging jobs are just a few of the impediments to the happiness of these 20-something characters, leaving them disillusioned and powerless to move on. It is especially poignant in ``Rapid Transit,'' when the transition from fair-haired collegian to entry-level lackey stirs up some scary emotions. In ``Fraternity,'' a party-boy rejects reality even as ``the music faded, the lights came up.'' Many seek constancy from family members, only to find that they too are changing beyond their control. One man looks to his ailing grandmother for some order, while another hunts down his biological mother to provide ``whatever's missing'' in his life. Mired in the present, the characters often glorify the past: ``Scott had felt ashamed to have such fond memories, and so little desire to start over.'' The stories are deftly written and brilliantly structured, with titillating beginnings and somewhat cryptic endings. The prospect for this generation is not grim, Chaon seems to say; it's just uncertain.
Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
News reports from small towns on the Nebraska prairie tend to dwell on the greying of a way of life, but Chaon's first collection of short stories is more concerned with the life still taking place that passes underneath the radar of public regard. Thus, "Transformations" tells of the homecoming of a newly uncloseted homosexual from the point of view of his younger brother; "Dread" is the story of a young man living with his brother and sister-in-law in Chicago who spills the beans about his brother's affair. Most of the stories deal simply with simple themes (the exception being "My Sister's Honeymoon: A Videotape," a more experimental piece about a brother reflecting on the changes brought about by his sister's marriage that is organized by the time tag of a video camera). It is in the telling, the subtle shifts of perspective, and the transformation of character in a short space that distinguish Chaon as a writer to watch. Though most of his stories seem suspended rather than concluded (an unfortunate trademark of university writing programs, of which Chaon is a product), this is a very respectable first effort; it's unfortunate that the high hardcover price might keep this work out of smaller libraries. For collections of literary fiction.?Adam Mazmanian, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An extraordinary first effort,
This review is from: Fitting Ends and Other Stories (Paperback)
Chaon is no mere sentimentalist, yet his stories chart probing flights over emotional landscapes of both the unusual and the everyday minutiae that comprise American life. This is a gifted writer, and his work is an honor to read. The title story captures better than any other the feeling of living "in the moment" and outside it at the same time, elaborating a lifeline that has suffered alienation and loss and redemption; journeyed to give you the story. While far and away the best piece in this collection, it does not by any means overshadow the other works published under this very appropriate title. Buy this book and read it carefully.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Carver Plus,
By A Customer
This review is from: Fitting Ends and Other Stories (Paperback)
One story after another pushing emotional buttons as if by remote control, no needless sentimentality or displays of craven nostalgia, no explosions or easy gimmicks, the video-taped honeymoon notwithstanding, rather a series of deadpan heartbreaks and implosions. Necessary writing.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A heartfelt work worthy of your attention,
By rkeane99@aol.com (Plymouth) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Fitting Ends and Other Stories (Paperback)
Chaon is a very capable author, one able to depict the pieces of regret, discomfort and deception that lie within us all. He revises the world through the eyes of his characters, exposing a landscape full of unresolved feelings and desperation. I read "Fitting Ends" in an anthology and have checked this book out as a result. It was well worth the trip, and far superior to the junk food on the shelves and bestseller lists posing as "literature." Check this book out. You won't be sorry.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
