Kind Of Flying [Paperback]

Comprising stories from three out-of-print collections (The News of the World; Plan B for the Middle Class; The Hotel Eden), this hefty compilation showcases Carson's chatty, often playful narrative style and his fascination with the tricky nature of male-female relationships. Most of the stories are written in the first person, and Carlson is a master at confessional narrators: men-husbands, fathers and boyfriends-befuddled by, but enchanted with, the women in their lives. "There's a lot inside a man that never gets out," notes the sheriff-narrator of "Phenomena," but the men hold little back in these pages. In the unforgettable "Bigfoot Stole My Wife," a man tries to convince himself that his wife didn't mean to leave him, but was instead kidnapped by the hairy beast. In "Milk," one of this anthology's finest stories, a father who refuses to let his infant twin sons be fingerprinted, thinking it smacks of paranoia, realizes that, because of his overwhelming love for them, "now I am afraid of everything." Carlson's offbeat, frequently hopeful stories stand out amid the starker work of contemporaries like Richard Ford and Tobias Wolff. He doesn't ignore life's rougher spots, though: in "The Hotel Eden" a na‹ve young meteorologist, in love with his girlfriend and thrilled with his new, enigmatic buddy, is forced by an act of betrayal to reconsider his optimism and trust. For fans of short fiction, this will prove a treat.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Carlson is a master of the short story. He runs the gamut of emotions and styles, from bittersweet to hysterically funny--from stories of sexual awakening and love gone wrong to zany tales and satires. Each of these 35 stories (from previous collections no longer available) is perfectly crafted and as involving as a novel. "The H Street Sledding Record" is a wonderful tale of a father's preservation of the magic of Christmas that ought to become a holiday classic. "The Chromium Hook" puts a riotous spin on the old urban legend. And, "Bigfoot Stole My Wife" and the answering "I Am Bigfoot" are as funny as they are charming. The collection is introduced by "Friends of My Youth," a story about the genesis and writing of the stories. These are stunningly artistic stories suitable for all fiction lovers. Elizabeth Dickie
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"These stories are full of surprises, jolts, and lightning strikes of recognition. Do yourself a favor and read Ron Carlson."

Ron Carlson's stories come at us from all directions. Sometimes wicked or bittersweet, often zany, they are rich with a hard-earned hopefulness frequently absent in contemporary fiction. In this generous gathering from collections no longer available, longtime fans and new readers alike can savor the development of a master of idiosyncrasy.In "Blazo" and other equally poignant tales, men and women are challenged when things don't work out as expected. Other stories deal with surprising transformations for a baseball player turned killer-by-accident, for a nineteen-year-old who experiences an unsettling sexual awakening. Here is a man accusing Bigfoot of stealing his wife, followed by Bigfoot's incomparable response. Not least of the treasures is "The H Street Sledding Record," a story perfect for family holiday reading, in which a young father "creates" the magic of Santa by throwing manure on his roof on Christmas Eve.Prepare to be amused, moved, and disturbed by stories that make a difference.