The Book of Wonders

by Douglas Trevor

In these nine stories, Douglas Trevor explores unsettling and comic situations in which people lose their bearings, reinvent themselves, or resolve—sometimes haplessly—to make sense of their lives. In a variety of different moods and settings, "The Book of Wonders" is a timely meditation on the difficulty of connecting in a wondrous, unforgiving world.

Genres: Fiction

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2017

About the author

Douglas Trevor is the author of the novel "Girls I Know" (SixOneSeven Books, 2013), the short story collection "The Thin Tear in the Fabric of Space" (University of Iowa Press, 2005), and "The Poetics of Melancholy in Early Modern England" (Cambridge University Press, 2004). "Thin Tear" won the 2005 Iowa Short Fiction Award and was a finalist for the 2006 Hemingway Foundation/Pen Award for First Fiction. His short fiction has appeared in "The Paris Review," "Glimmer Train," "Epoch," "Black Warrior Review," "The New England Review," and about a dozen other literary magazines. He lives in Ann Arbor, where he is an Associate Professor of Renaissance Literature and Creative Writing in the English Department at the University of Michigan.

Reviews

[Michael Ferro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Douglas Trevor's new collection of work is simply wonderful. Ranging from the devastating and tender, to raucous and hilarious, these stories are expertly crafted and breathe new life into the honored short fiction form. Pieces like "The Novelist and the Short Story Writer," a personal favorite of mine, especially captured this dichotomy of humor and heart so well. Just when Trevor seems to be taking you one way as a reader, he slams a hard right and takes us down a whole new, unexpected path—and the resulting ride is a visceral delight.

Intelligent, witty, and always entertaining, THE BOOK OF WONDERS is an incredible short story collection released at a time when the form is getting more of the respect it deserves. And Trevor is a master at the top of his game.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this interesting collection of short stories written by Douglas Trevor, a professor at the University of Michigan. Some stories reminded me of Vonnegut. Books of wonder are randomly included in several stories, or maybe all of them and some I overlooked.
One story especially stood out to me and I wish I could copy it to share with everyone I know. "The Detroit Frankfort School Discussion Group" is a story that begins in Ann Arbor and includes familiar locations, including the Old Town on Ashley St. and the railroad track intersection at Liberty and 1st.
It is there where the hapless, intellectual, middle-aged, white, male protagonist is astonished to find himself hustled by two much younger women in a hot convertible who sweep him off to Downtown Detroit. This wild story manages to express thought provoking ideas around a sense of community that might be just what is needed to re-create Detroit, and possibly the nation. The last line brought tears to my eyes. I wish the story was true.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short stories in this book are very interesting, and though a few of them end rather abruptly, I absolutely love how Trevor gives a great glimpse at each of the characters in the stories, especially in such a brief period of time. They are very well written and I definitely found this collection enjoyable.

[Keith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite book by Douglas Trevor. Stories rich and funny, and more than funny. I had to overcome my skepticism that these were going to be too academic. They ARE academic, but the best of that kind of thing, poking fun at their own knowing-ness. Below is a short review I wrote of the book

https://annarborobserver.com/articles...

[Ann Pearlman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved some of these stories...especially The Detroit Frankfurt School Discussion Group... interesting views, often funny, of academia.

[Jane Goodall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enchanting selection of short stories. Each story unique with intriguing characters and story lines.

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories. Has you wondering how a life is best lived.

[Carol N. Boozer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of very readable and clever short stories.