Shelf Life: Fantastic Stories Celebrating Bookstores

An anthology of science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories, each with a bookstore at its core. Stories by Ramsey Campbell, Charles de Lint, Harlan Ellison, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Jack Williamson, Gene Wolfe, and more, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman.

"Ketter's collection of fantasy stories celebrating bookstores, first published in 2002, begins with an introduction by Neil Gaiman and contains 15 original stories plus Harlan Ellison's 'The Cheese Stands Alone.' The stories aren't spectacular, but the best offer narrative surprises. In Gene Wolfe's wistful 'From the Cradle,' a consigned antique book seeks a new owner. Like John J. Miller's 'Lost Books,' which harks back to the Library of Alexandria, it features an unexpected romantic thread. Although several stories offer Twilight Zone — type twists, just three do it well: David Bischoff's 'Books,' P.D. Cacek's 'A Book, by Its Cover,' and Nina Kiriki Hoffman's 'Escapes.' A.R. Morlan's 'The Hemingway Kittens' serves up a surprising amount of whimsy, and Patrick Weekes' ' ‘I Am Looking for a Book...' ' is laugh-out-loud funny. Bookshop owners and habitués will appreciate the palpable affection for literary havens." Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.