Contents : Foreword -- The owl that carries us away -- The visible world -- Omphalotus Olearius -- Stone garden -- Bonjour Tristeese -- Messenger -- The second coming -- Spring show -- Little dancer aged fourteen -- Water tower -- Crow death -- Slippery Creek -- Ocho Rios -- The world we know -- Old places -- Folklore -- Five grackles -- Old man -- Bedtime story -- Into the woods -- The green bridge -- The old worlds -- Dog memories -- Confessions of a cloud -- Three crows -- Opuntia -- Baobab -- Jamaican snow -- Crow.
Summary:
"One is tempted, in describing Doug Ramspeck's new collection, to use the word 'unflinching' - and indeed, these fictions tackle crises that might tempt many to avert their gaze: dead, missing or decamped fathers, tragic accidents, romantic disappointment, childhood trauma, awkward aftermaths of all kinds. The problem is that 'unflinching' gives the viewer, or the writer, special credit for not looking away. But flinching is for those who have a choice, and the characters in these spare, close-to-the-bone stories do not. What Ramspeck succeeds in here is to show us, in poignant, lyrical, but never fussy prose, what everyday fortitude looks like, what it's like to look hardship straight in its eye and keep pressing on. These are flawed, sympathetic, fully human characters, and this is a sad, dark, terrific book." -- back cover.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.