Synopses & Reviews
Set in the Michigan landscape that Charles Baxter has made his own, these thirteen exquisite stories illuminate the often curious connections of relatives and strangers. "You can't just get a brother off the street," says the narrator of the title story, but indeed he does. In another, a woman tries to elude her lover's voice by spending an entire day without words. A marriage is jostled by the departure of a friend during a snowstorm. Baxter's stories tend to be love stories, but it is love tinged with fear, even danger, where shock, comedy, and love combine in unexpected ways.
Review
"We have the satisfaction of having been immersed in a beautifully rendered and fully imagined world." Michiko Kakutani, New York Times
Review
"[Baxter] has written subtly but masterfully about the nuances of personal interaction in this insightful collection." Library Journal
Synopsis
"In his quiet cosmic wonderment, Baxter is the equal of John Updike and Anne Tyler at their largest and best."--
Synopsis
Without question Charles Baxter, whose ravishing novel was a National Book Award finalist, is one of our finest contemporary writers. These two books, set in the Michigan landscape that Baxter has made his own, display his unparalleled gift for revealing the unexpected in everyday life. The often-curious connections of relatives and strangers are illuminated in the thirteen exquisite stories of . "You can't just get a brother off the street," a character says, but indeed he does.
About the Author
Charles Baxter is the author of ten books, including The Feast of Love, a finalist for the National Book Award, and Burning Down the House: Essays on Fiction. He teaches at the University of Minnesota and lives in Minneapolis.
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Charles Baxter