Rapid Transits and Other Stories

by Holley Rubinsky

190 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

About the author

Holley Rubinsky, a fiction writer living in the mountains of British Columbia, is the author of four books, most recently her story collection, South of Elfrida.

BC BOOKWORLD chose South of Elfrida for a staff pick. "..[Rubinsky's] the real deal for anyone who enjoys sophisticated storytelling."

Judy LeBlanc wrote in The Coastal Spectator: "In a literary workd where clever verbiage and narrative sleight-of-hand [are] too often celebrated over substance, Rubinsky's voice is wise and straight-up."

Reviews

[Holley Rubinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Rapid Transits", the first story in the book won the $10,000 Journey Prize

“These stories are moving and sensitive and extremely well crafted. Many of them explore the wonder and fearfulness of women on their individual journeys. These are stories that are dazzlingly original and they will stay with the reader for a long, long time.” Alistair MacLeod, Lost Salt Gift of Blood, As Birds Bring Forth the Sun, No Great Mischief

“Holley Rubinsky’s stories are downright disturbing. They vibrate with submerged anger, grief, violence, betrayal. They will return to haunt the reader in the middle of the night. Forceful and beautifully evocative in their telling, these finely crafted stories grab the reader about the throat. There is a steely uncompromising hand behind this body of work, not a hint of sentimentality; relentlessly determined to portray accurately the underside of life.” Sandra Birdsell, Children of the Day, The Russlander, The Missing Child

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty grim collection that displays a side of Rubinsky I hadn't seen in any of her other works I've read. The two themes that seem most persistent throughout are poverty and abandonment, especially as it pertains to children, though in at least one story ("Embers") the pain of aging and inching toward death is explored. What is the same here is Rubinsky's skill at description and deftness in portraying character.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another thoroughly engrossing read from HR. She is certainly thought-provoking as she sometimes tackles the seamy underside of life and I found myself *almost* unable to read the ocassional uncomfortable parts. Why does she write of these things and how does she know so much about them. I couldn't put it down.