Download or read book Knockemstiff written by Donald Ray Pollock and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2008-03-18 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "More engaging than any new fiction in years." —Chuck Palahniuk An unforgettable work of fiction that peers into the soul of a tough Midwestern American town to reveal the sad, stunted but resilient lives of its residents. Knockemstiff is a genuine entry into the literature of place. Spanning a period from the mid-sixties to the late nineties, the linked stories that comprise Knockemstiff feature a cast of recurring characters who are irresistibly, undeniably real. A father pumps his son full of steroids so he can vicariously relive his days as a perpetual runner-up body builder. A psychotic rural recluse comes upon two siblings committing incest and feels compelled to take action. Donald Ray Pollock presents his characters and the sordid goings-on with a stern intelligence, a bracing absence of value judgments, and a refreshingly dark sense of bottom-dog humor.

Download or read book Great English Short Stories written by Paul Negri and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-09-20 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DIVFirst-rate selections include Hardy's "The Fiddler of the Reels," James' "Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad," Dickens' "The Haunted Hotel," and tales by Saki, Kipling, Lawrence, Trollope, Stevenson, and others. /div

Download or read book Once the Shore written by Paul Yoon and published by ReadHowYouWant.com. This book was released on 2010-10-29 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: So persuasive are Yoon's powers of invention that I went searching for his Solla Island somewhere off the mainland of South Korea not realizing that it exists only in this breathtaking collection of eight interlinked stories...Yoon's writing results in a fully formed, deftly executed debut. The lost lives, while heartbreaking, prove illuminating in Yoon's made-up world, so convincing and real. To read is truly to believe. San Francisco Chronicle ''Paul Yoon writes stories the way Faberg made eggs; with untold craftsmanship, artistry, and delicacy. Again and again another layer of intricacy is revealed, proving that something as small as a story can be as satisfying and moving as a Russian novel. Ann Patchett ''These are lovely stories, rendered with a Chekhovian elegance. They span from post - World War II to the new millennium, with characters of different ethnicities, yet each story has a timelessness and relevance that's haunting and unforgettable. Yoon is a sparkling new writer to welcome and celebrate. Don Lee ''these are splendid stories, at once lyrical and plain-spoken and full of unusual realities. Once the Shore is a kind of fantastic Korean gazetteer that tours us confidently through unpredictable incidents and often startling conversations. Paul Yoon's writing is erotic, haunting, original and worldly. Howard Norman Spanning over half a century from the years just before the Korean War to the present the eight stories in this collection reveal an intricate and unforgettable portrait of a single island in the South Pacific. Novelistic in scope, daring in its varied environments, Once the Shore introduces a remarkable new voice in international fiction.

Download or read book Snappsy the Alligator Did Not Ask to Be in This Book written by Julie Falatko and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-02-02 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Snappsy the alligator is having a normal day when a pesky narrator steps in to spice up the story. Is Snappsy reading a book ... or is he making CRAFTY plans? Is Snappsy on his way to the grocery store ... or is he PROWLING the forest for defenseless birds and fuzzy bunnies? Is Snappsy innocently shopping for a party ... or is he OBSESSED with snack foods that start with the letter P? What's the truth? Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) is an irreverent look at storytelling, friendship, and creative differences, perfect for fans of Mo Willems.

Download or read book Very Short Stories written by Sean Hill and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-12-13 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inspired by an experiment on Twitter, these 300 moving stories are no bigger than a sentence or two, on themes like love, death, and family. In this one-of-a-kind collection, author Sean Hill has crafted hundreds of engaging stories that conjure an entire novel in just a sentence or two. Sometimes sad, often humorous and always creative, these tales touch on a wide range of life experiences from romance and family to death and sex. Nana rocked in her old wooden rocking chair. “Timmy, you have always been my favorite,” she said. He looked at her. “Nana, I’m Bobby.” Read your diary, discovered your secret. I thought I loved you, but now I’m not sure. Don’t know what to do, you look so human. Clowning was Daryl’s profession, cooking was his passion. Stella thought he was perfect. She liked to laugh and never learned to cook. Alex bought Sharon a ring for Valentine’s Day, which she sold to buy the gun that stopped him from loving her. In 2009, Sean Hill combined his love of writing and technology by creating @VeryShortStory, a Twitter feed where he interacts with his readers and shares his 140-character stories. Praise for Very Short Stories “Some are touching, some ring true, but most are laugh-out-loud funny.” —Seattle Times “The book is a treasure-trove of fascinating exploration into the craft of language and storytelling.” —Summit Daily “Story telling is his bag, pure and simple.” —Austin American Statesman “The best of the stories might rival Hemingway's classic six word story in their descriptive brevity and their ability to tell a complete and affecting tale.” —Short and Sweet NYC “Witty, well-crafted and always thought-provoking.” —Salt Lake Tribune

Download or read book Quick Change written by Debbie Young and published by Hawkesbury Press. This book was released on 2015-02-23 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flash fiction, sudden fiction, micro-fiction, ultra short fiction - call them what you will, these twenty wry and witty short stories examine change at every stage of life, in a natural progression from birth to death. Mostly lighthearted, but often moving too, this collection is written with an admirable economy of style. Ranging from a spartan 100 words to the relative luxury of 1,000, they combine sharp observation of contemporary English life with gentle humor, profound affection for the social quirks of the author's native country, and the odd dark rumbling undertone. Plenty of surprises emerge along the way, from twists of magical realism to whimsical wish-fulfillment. BONUS MATERIAL: The paperback edition contains two new stories that were not in the original e-book edition, but were originally published in national flash fiction anthologies.

Download or read book Light Can Be Both Wave and Particle written by Ellen Gilchrist and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2018-12-18 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fiction from a National Book Award-winning author and “short-story writer of substantial gifts and reputation” (The New York Times). From National Book Award Winner Ellen Gilchrist, a pillar of Southern literature hailed by the Washington Post as “a national treasure,” comes a colorful collection of short stories integrating favorite characters with captivating newcomers. Rhoda’s reveling in her childhood and infinite possibility in “The Tree Fort” and “The Time Capsule” is juxtaposed with her darker adulthood in “Mexico.” Nora Jane returns alongside Lin Tan Sing, a Chinese medical student and geneticist who predicts the birth of her twins. Fans of Gilchrist won’t want to miss the author’s exploration of the many stages of life—and the lightness and darkness each can bring. “Several stories in Gilchrist’s latest collection are distinguished by her old magic—they have energy and gusto and humor, and a dark layer of knowledge beneath their nostalgic tone.”—Publishers Weekly “A validation of the author’s skill and versatility. Gilchrist creates new experiences for characters from earlier stories and … creates new characters who reveal her skill in portraying character and place.”—Library Journal

Download or read book A Place Like Home written by Rosamunde Pilcher and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2021-07-27 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Celebrate life's journeys with the beloved author whose stories of life and love touched the world. A Place Like Home is a spellbinding collection of short stories by internationally bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher, never before published in book form. The collection contains fifteen stories, which range from "Our Holiday", in which a wife surprises her husband of twenty-five years with a holiday full of Mediterranean sunshine, red rocks and blue seas in an effort to rekindle the romance they had before children; "Through the Eyes of Love", which takes the reader to a village by the sea where old flames meet again; and "A Place Like Home", where a lonely young woman goes to recuperate in the Scottish countryside after a brief illness. The fruit orchards and fresh sea air offer much needed respite—but not as much as the handsome, mysterious farmer she meets. Each unforgettable story is the perfect slice of romance written with warmth and passion featuring wonderfully memorable, smart, and feisty female characters that will transport the reader to another time and place.

Download or read book The Bus Stop Scheherazade written by Jan Fortune-Wood and published by . This book was released on 2007-09-27 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Edited by Jan Fortune-Wood, this anthology consists of works by Douglas Bruton, Bill Cariad, Catherine Chanter, Una Corbett, Liz Granirer, Valmiki Ghosh, Bernard Harrington, Pat Hillyer, Vee Swinburne & Jo Verity. All writers use language in such a way that the everyday becomes the extra-ordinary.

Download or read book The Light in the Night written by Marie Voigt and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2019-02-07 with total page 35 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Betty loves her night-time stories, especially the one about Cosmo: a bear that is afraid of the dark. So when Cosmo comes to life, it is the perfect opportunity for Betty to help him overcome his fear and show him the beauty of the night. With a lantern in one hand and Cosmo’s paw in the other, join Betty on a wonderful adventure that will light up every child’s story time!

Download or read book The Beautiful Bureaucrat written by Helen Phillips and published by Henry Holt and Company. This book was released on 2015-08-11 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2015 NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by Time Out, Bustle, The Atlantic, Electric Literature, Kobo, Kirkus and more... "Riveting... thrillerlike...drolly surreal...Ultimately, The Beautiful Bureaucrat succeeds because it isn't afraid to ask the deepest questions." The New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice "A joyride..." -Karen Russell NAMED A MUST READ OF THE SUMMER by the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Bustle, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, HelloGiggles and more... A young wife's new job pits her against the unfeeling machinations of the universe in a first novel Ursula K. Le Guin hails as "funny, sad, scary, beautiful. I love it." In a windowless building in a remote part of town, the newly employed Josephine inputs an endless string of numbers into something known only as The Database. After a long period of joblessness, she's not inclined to question her fortune, but as the days inch by and the files stack up, Josephine feels increasingly anxious in her surroundings-the office's scarred pinkish walls take on a living quality, the drone of keyboards echoes eerily down the long halls. When one evening her husband Joseph disappears and then returns, offering no explanation as to his whereabouts, her creeping unease shifts decidedly to dread. As other strange events build to a crescendo, the haunting truth about Josephine's work begins to take shape in her mind, even as something powerful is gathering its own form within her. She realizes that in order to save those she holds most dear, she must penetrate an institution whose tentacles seem to extend to every corner of the city and beyond. Both chilling and poignant, The Beautiful Bureaucrat is a novel of rare restraint and imagination. With it, Helen Phillips enters the company of Murakami, Bender, and Atwood as she twists the world we know and shows it back to us full of meaning and wonder-luminous and new.

Download or read book A Little Life written by Hanya Yanagihara and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2016-01-26 with total page 833 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.

Download or read book The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story written by John Freeman and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-05-03 with total page 497 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A selection of the best and most representative contemporary American short fiction from 1970 to 2020, including such authors as Ursula K. LeGuin, Toni Cade Bambara, Jhumpa Lahiri, Sandra Cisneros, and Ted Chiang, hand-selected by celebrated editor and anthologist John Freeman In the past fifty years, the American short story has changed dramatically. New voices, forms, and mixtures of styles have brought this unique genre a thrilling burst of energy. The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story celebrates this avalanche of talent. This rich anthology begins in 1970 and brings together a half century of powerful American short stories from all genres, including—for the first time in a collection of this scale—science fiction, horror, and fantasy, placing writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Ken Liu, and Stephen King next to some beloved greats of the literary form: Raymond Carver, Grace Paley, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Denis Johnson. Culling widely, John Freeman, the former editor of Granta and now editor of his own literary annual, brings forward some astonishing work to be regarded in a new light. Often overlooked tales by Dorothy Allison, Percival Everett, and Charles Johnson will recast the shape and texture of today’s enlarging atmosphere of literary dialogue. Stories by Lauren Groff and Ted Chiang raise the specter of engagement in ecocidal times. Short tales by Tobias Wolff, George Saunders, and Lydia Davis rub shoulders with near novellas by Susan Sontag and Andrew Holleran. This book will be a treasure trove for readers, writers, and teachers alike.

Download or read book Light written by W. Starr Charlie and published by . This book was released on 2012-05 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: That an unknown manuscript by C. S. Lewis should suddenly appear two decades after his death is remarkable. That it turns out to be a version of a previously published Lewis short story which some have accused of being a forgery, makes it a mystery. C. S. Lewis's "Light" manuscript appeared out of nowhere in 1985 after a different version of the story was published in 1977. Could "Light" be the final version of that story, the missing polished text which should have been published all along? And does it disprove or inflame the accusations of forgery? Charlie W. Starr explores the questions and reveals the truth that what Lewis scholars have previously believed about the story's origins is largely inaccurate, and that the insights into Lewis's thinking which "Light" reveals provide a new key to understanding some of Lewis's most profound ideas. "As literary journalism, both investigative and critical, it is top shelf." James Como, author of Remembering C. S. Lewis "Starr's book explores a vitally important theme in Lewis's work - light." Will Vaus, author of Speaking of Jack: A C. S. Lewis Discussion Guide "Starr has done us all a great service ... I can't recommend this book highly enough." Adam Barkman, author of C. S. Lewis and Philosophy as a Way of Life "Starr shines a new and illuminating light on one of Lewis's most intriguing stories." Michael Ward, author of Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis Charlie W. Starr is professor of English and Humanities at Kentucky Christian University.

Download or read book Art Lies written by Jeanette Winterson and published by Vintage Canada. This book was released on 2014-06-24 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'There is no such thing as autobiography, there is only art and lies'. Set in a London of the near future, its three principal characters, Handel, Picasso and Sappho, separately flee the city and find themselves on the same train, drawn to one another through the curious agency of a book. Stories within stories take us through the unlikely love affairs of one Doll Sneerpiece, an 18th century bawd, and into the world of painful beauty where language has the power to heal. Art & Lies is a question and a quest: How shall I live?

Download or read book Alfred Hitchcock Presents Stories to be Read with the Lights on written by Alfred Hitchcock and published by Random House (NY). This book was released on 1973 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thirty-seven chilling exercises in the art of murder and suspense.

Download or read book 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories written by Isaac Asimov and published by Pan. This book was released on 1980 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science fiction-noveller.