A Cast of Characters and Other Stories

Stories from the Blue Moon Cafe #5

by Sonny Brewer (Editor), Howard Bahr, Thomas McGuane

Rick Bragg. Tim Gautreaux. William Gay. Fannie Flagg. Diane McWhorter. Charles Simic. Daniel Wallace. Steve Yarbrough. These are just a handful of the acclaimed writers whose work has appeared in the Stories from the Blue Moon Café series since its 2002 inception.

Now, in Cast of Characters and Other Stories, the fifth installment of the series, Sonny Brewer has selected a new crop of fiction promising to satisfy even the most discerning of tastes. This dynamic collection of fourteen short stories is a must-read, offering the best in contemporary Southern writing and a glimpse into the future of Southern literature.

Includes:

Coppers : 1939 by Howard Bahr
Five and riding shotgun by Stuart Bloodworth
A cast of characters by Rick Bragg
A man by Pia Z. Ehrhardt
The safety man by Tom Franklin
Where will you go when your skin cannot contain you? by William Gay
Push by L.A. Hoffer
New York City marathon by Frank Turner Hollon
My sestina, his sestina by Chip Livingston
Holiday by Thomas McGuane
Your body is changing by Jack Pendarvis
Their ancient, glittering eyes by Ron Rash
Hattiesburg, Mississippi by James Whorton Jr.
When Jesus lost his head by Karen Spears Zacharias

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

290 pages, Hardcover

First published September 5, 2006

About the author

Sonny Brewer is the author of four novels, including The Poet of Tolstory Park and The Widow and the Tree. He edited the anthology series Stories from the Blue Moon Café and most recently, Don't Quit Your Day Job - Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs they Quit published by MP Publishing in 2010.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few good stories but most were just mediocre. This was my least favorite of the series.

[Michael Lortz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book of short stories. Some I liked better than others. I am a sucker for short stories that pivot on the last line or last paragraph.
Where Will You Go When Your Skin Cant Contain You might be on the weirdest short stories I have ever read. Overall, a good read.

[Sara Crocker · Rating 2 out of 5]

As with any anthology, some stories resonate more than others. My favorites were: "Their Ancient, Glittering Eyes," "A Man," and "When Jesus Lost His Head."