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Out Past the Wires
Listeners to Picott’s songs know the craft and the beauty, the perfect words, of his vignettes of working-class life and love. They will hear a similar voice in these short stories, and they will recognize the insight and the honesty about hard times. And yet that honesty, while brutal in places, is seamlessly delivered through the crafting of his characters’ brutally honest dialogue and dialect. An often treacherous realm that he navigates with the skill of a seasoned novelist. Picott engages his characters at moments of crisis, epiphany, and sometimes collapse. In their lives they suffer injustice, obsolescence, and violence. And yet, they are recognized and witnessed, without judgment. The characters in this debut collection of twelve short stories will stay with you long after the last page is turned
172 pages, Paperback
Published March 30, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 1, 2019
Rod Picott is a singer-songwriter and a poet and an author. He has a voice like velvet ripped by granite and he can write songs and stories that will also rip your heart into pieces.
Out Past the Wires is a collection of short stories about everyday, hardscrabble lives and the sometimes lonely, desperate, and sad people who live them. You may recognize yourself somewhere deep within a character, or you might see someone you know or have met. Or you may find yourself shaking your head and thanking whatever god you believe in that you've never been in any of the situations depicted in this book.
Because he also sings and writes songs, Rod has released a double CD as an accompaniment to his stories. As you read, he lets you know which song to listen to as a companion to each particular tale. It's not necessary to listen to the music to enjoy the stories, but it definitely adds an extra depth of feeling to the content.
Out Past the Wires is not totally depressing, but it is definitely a glimpse into a place where pure joy rarely visits. Rod once named his musical tour and one of his albums the "Circus of Misery and Heartbreak." That's an apt description for this book. Don't let that description dissuade you from reading it. It's a hell of a good read, and just might touch you in a place you usually keep hidden.
5 stars
Out Past the Wires is a collection of short stories about everyday, hardscrabble lives and the sometimes lonely, desperate, and sad people who live them. You may recognize yourself somewhere deep within a character, or you might see someone you know or have met. Or you may find yourself shaking your head and thanking whatever god you believe in that you've never been in any of the situations depicted in this book.
Because he also sings and writes songs, Rod has released a double CD as an accompaniment to his stories. As you read, he lets you know which song to listen to as a companion to each particular tale. It's not necessary to listen to the music to enjoy the stories, but it definitely adds an extra depth of feeling to the content.
Out Past the Wires is not totally depressing, but it is definitely a glimpse into a place where pure joy rarely visits. Rod once named his musical tour and one of his albums the "Circus of Misery and Heartbreak." That's an apt description for this book. Don't let that description dissuade you from reading it. It's a hell of a good read, and just might touch you in a place you usually keep hidden.
5 stars
December 25, 2021
In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a writer myself, and actually became acquainted with Rod Picott's work as a recording artist when I interviewed him in Nashville for a newspaper article in 2008. I've been a fan of his music ever since; to me, more than for his melodies or his singing, he's an overlooked gem lyrically in the Americana world. Out Past the Wires is a book of short stories that, for me, is an extension and continuation of his lyric writing, and it almost feels like he HAD to write a book because he had to empty a drive, like there's no room left for the millions of words in his head. That's a good thing.
I really like Out Past the Wires. I'm thinking about it days after I've finished it. Picott's use of the language is unique, concise, picture-painting. His characters are so believable. I think I know at least a couple of them. Great chapter opening lines. He's just a great writer. If you can read the first chapter, "A Cow Named Burger King," and not finish the book, you're apparently not really looking for something to read.
I really like Out Past the Wires. I'm thinking about it days after I've finished it. Picott's use of the language is unique, concise, picture-painting. His characters are so believable. I think I know at least a couple of them. Great chapter opening lines. He's just a great writer. If you can read the first chapter, "A Cow Named Burger King," and not finish the book, you're apparently not really looking for something to read.
May 1, 2022
The author is a keen observer of small sad lives, the reasons for the sadness, and the inevitability of ongoing sadness, whether from personal actions or twists of fate. He is economical in his storytelling, as becomes a man whose stock in trade is concocting three to four minute short stories with music. Despite the absence of hope for a way out for many of the characters, there are glimmers of strong human spirit in many of the portraits.
December 27, 2021
I had no doubt that someone who wrote such beautiful songs, could also write wonderful stories. This book of short stories left me wanting more and wishing that they were longer. I read this entire book in 2 short afternoons and loved every single one. They flowed effortlessly and were hard to put down. I look forward to reading more from this singer/songwriter/storyteller/writer.
December 23, 2021
Out Past the Wires
Rod Picott
Throw a prayer on up as far as you can
But your prayer comes falling down.
Sings Rod Picott in one of the songs that he wrote to accompany this beautifully crafted book of short stories. You can tell from this that you’re not dealing with a glass half-full kind of writer. What you get are short sharp jabs of insight into the lives of the not so fortunate citizens of the United States, living in small towns in unfashionable post-industrial parts of that huge country. They hang on by hard drinking or abusing prescription drugs or doing demeaning jobs where they can find them. Some don’t hang on: they just fall off the merry-go-round.
‘Do I need more tales of modern American social misery?’ you may ask yourself. Well, I’d say in this case you do, because Rod Picott is that rare writer who not only breathes life into his downtrodden, hopeless characters but, throughout, there is a sense that he loves them and bleeds for them without ever overtly showing it in any way. An empathy shines from these pages which only the hardest of hearts could miss and that, in the end, is what makes these short revelatory looks inside the lives of others less fortunate worth the candle.
Rod has spent over a quarter of a century honing his craft as a singer songwriter, relentlessly touring up and down the US and in Europe, and in that time he must have met many more people than most of us meet in a lifetime. Given his observational skills and his uncanny knack of getting inside other people’s skins, it’s hardly surprising that he should find within himself not only the desire to write more and better songs but to explore other areas of creative writing as well, both poetry and now prose. What he would, I think, call ‘taking a side step.’ His aim, I feel, is to represent the human condition, warts and all, and by so doing, somehow to make sense of his own position in it. All writers in some way do this, of course, but in Rod I sense an aching urgency and a need that engenders a special poignancy.
He’s not precious about his writing, though: ‘the blank page does not frighten me. I don’t believe in writer’s block …’ he says in his comments at the end of this book. He’s from a working background and his approach to his writing is straightforward: he aims to do a good job skillfully and well. In my opinion that’s exactly what he’s done in Out Past the Wires. In another of the songs on the album that goes with this book, a character says, ‘songs ain’t worth a damn anyway.’ We all know that isn’t true of Rod Picott’s work, be it song, poem or story.
I should add that although Rod recorded an album to accompany this book, the two things exist in their own space and you don’t need one to understand the other. The stories exist in their own right and the songs are their distilled essences, rather than marginal glosses offering further explanation.
Rod Picott
Throw a prayer on up as far as you can
But your prayer comes falling down.
Sings Rod Picott in one of the songs that he wrote to accompany this beautifully crafted book of short stories. You can tell from this that you’re not dealing with a glass half-full kind of writer. What you get are short sharp jabs of insight into the lives of the not so fortunate citizens of the United States, living in small towns in unfashionable post-industrial parts of that huge country. They hang on by hard drinking or abusing prescription drugs or doing demeaning jobs where they can find them. Some don’t hang on: they just fall off the merry-go-round.
‘Do I need more tales of modern American social misery?’ you may ask yourself. Well, I’d say in this case you do, because Rod Picott is that rare writer who not only breathes life into his downtrodden, hopeless characters but, throughout, there is a sense that he loves them and bleeds for them without ever overtly showing it in any way. An empathy shines from these pages which only the hardest of hearts could miss and that, in the end, is what makes these short revelatory looks inside the lives of others less fortunate worth the candle.
Rod has spent over a quarter of a century honing his craft as a singer songwriter, relentlessly touring up and down the US and in Europe, and in that time he must have met many more people than most of us meet in a lifetime. Given his observational skills and his uncanny knack of getting inside other people’s skins, it’s hardly surprising that he should find within himself not only the desire to write more and better songs but to explore other areas of creative writing as well, both poetry and now prose. What he would, I think, call ‘taking a side step.’ His aim, I feel, is to represent the human condition, warts and all, and by so doing, somehow to make sense of his own position in it. All writers in some way do this, of course, but in Rod I sense an aching urgency and a need that engenders a special poignancy.
He’s not precious about his writing, though: ‘the blank page does not frighten me. I don’t believe in writer’s block …’ he says in his comments at the end of this book. He’s from a working background and his approach to his writing is straightforward: he aims to do a good job skillfully and well. In my opinion that’s exactly what he’s done in Out Past the Wires. In another of the songs on the album that goes with this book, a character says, ‘songs ain’t worth a damn anyway.’ We all know that isn’t true of Rod Picott’s work, be it song, poem or story.
I should add that although Rod recorded an album to accompany this book, the two things exist in their own space and you don’t need one to understand the other. The stories exist in their own right and the songs are their distilled essences, rather than marginal glosses offering further explanation.
December 3, 2021
Rod Picott is the Steinbeck of New England. The O’Henry of hard-scrabble surprise endings. He’s got one foot firmly planted in his own blue-collar origins, and the other set on the path toward writing the next Great American novel. He’s right on the cusp of it.
Picott is both observer and unnamed participant in this collection of short stories, and you know this because he freely imparts the autobiographical lore of his childhood, adolescence and young adulthood through all of his music and story-telling. The cards are not held close to the chest. The heart beats squarely on the sleeve. Picott takes rough-hewn, gritty ideas and tumbles them inside his mind until they’re honed to gemstone quality and strewn across the page to become the tender vignettes of humble, small town, everyday life. These stories resonate with me and the family tree that I am deeply rooted in.
You’ll find no happy conclusions, no joyful musings, in “Out Past the Wires,” but don’t let that dissuade you from devouring it. Life isn’t fair or easy, and this book will help you garner both an appreciation and sense of empathy for generations of good people who’ve been caught in the gears of systemically disenfranchised lives and who are often resigned to them,
“…as if the script wasn’t written, as if they didn’t all know the rules. They could have all saved the trouble of the acting – simply said, “this“.”
And yet, through every page, dignity is infused.
Whet your appetite and read “Out Past the Wires” while you wait for a subsequent brilliant Picott novel to be published.
Picott is both observer and unnamed participant in this collection of short stories, and you know this because he freely imparts the autobiographical lore of his childhood, adolescence and young adulthood through all of his music and story-telling. The cards are not held close to the chest. The heart beats squarely on the sleeve. Picott takes rough-hewn, gritty ideas and tumbles them inside his mind until they’re honed to gemstone quality and strewn across the page to become the tender vignettes of humble, small town, everyday life. These stories resonate with me and the family tree that I am deeply rooted in.
You’ll find no happy conclusions, no joyful musings, in “Out Past the Wires,” but don’t let that dissuade you from devouring it. Life isn’t fair or easy, and this book will help you garner both an appreciation and sense of empathy for generations of good people who’ve been caught in the gears of systemically disenfranchised lives and who are often resigned to them,
“…as if the script wasn’t written, as if they didn’t all know the rules. They could have all saved the trouble of the acting – simply said, “this“.”
And yet, through every page, dignity is infused.
Whet your appetite and read “Out Past the Wires” while you wait for a subsequent brilliant Picott novel to be published.
November 29, 2021
If you're familiar with Rod Picott as a songwriter, you know the characters and images that often populate his songs... working class folks struggling for a break, beautiful losers, winners with regrets and more baggage than LAX, rusting Pontiacs, t-shirts riddled with holes from welding. Out Past the Wires is a unique concept, something of a companion to Rod's Out Past the Wires (and Out (takes) Past the Wires) audio CDs. In some stories, the songs are taken a step further, back stories are fleshed out and we get a more cinematographic view of the characters from the songs. In some, the stories diverge, taking the reader to a slightly different destination.
Rod's work reminds me most, perhaps, of Thom Jones, hard hitting and gritty, every word earning its place. If you're a fan of the short story genre, I recommend this one highly. (And to clarify something, you absolutely do not need the audio CD to appreciate this one - all these stories stand alone. But if you have the chance, get the download or disc and compare.) Pick this one up without reservation.
Rod's work reminds me most, perhaps, of Thom Jones, hard hitting and gritty, every word earning its place. If you're a fan of the short story genre, I recommend this one highly. (And to clarify something, you absolutely do not need the audio CD to appreciate this one - all these stories stand alone. But if you have the chance, get the download or disc and compare.) Pick this one up without reservation.
December 14, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories, all about the ever-so-relatable life struggle. Picott seems to cover every corner of it: broken families, murder, addiction, loneliness, loss, regret, revenge, new shoes, a mother’s unconditional love for her failure of a son … and all of it in easily digestible nuggets. And thanks to his attention to detail, you get to go and really be in all these places and emotions.
I know the whiskey and cigarette motel room, the seventh beer at bar three blocks from home, the shallow coworkers at Value Haus who looked down on Catherine, and of course the seedy strip club where sixteen-year-old Marlene finally felt accepted (until she got the news).
I won’t bother trying to pick a favorite. All eleven stories carry a special dark weight of their own. To top it all off, you can listen to the songs about the stories! What an insightful look into the author/songwriter’s mind and process.
I highly recommend Out Past the Wires, both the book and the double album.
I know the whiskey and cigarette motel room, the seventh beer at bar three blocks from home, the shallow coworkers at Value Haus who looked down on Catherine, and of course the seedy strip club where sixteen-year-old Marlene finally felt accepted (until she got the news).
I won’t bother trying to pick a favorite. All eleven stories carry a special dark weight of their own. To top it all off, you can listen to the songs about the stories! What an insightful look into the author/songwriter’s mind and process.
I highly recommend Out Past the Wires, both the book and the double album.
February 21, 2022
First of all, I'm grateful to the author for sending me this book. It seems fitting the package arrived looking as if it had been through the ringer on its journey from the other side of the country.
The characters in this collection have stayed with me. I've wondered about how their often bleak but beautifully written lives would play out in a bigger picture, how they might rise above or succumb to the weight of their hardscrabble stations in the world.
There is no sugar coating. These stories ring real and true, revealing the rough challenges facing far too many as they attempt to make it in today's America. Rod writes evocative stories and tunes with a deep sense of place and a careful understanding and compassion for these weary humans. No words are wasted in his illustration of the woes of gritty hard luck people of all ages in a struggle to survive... or maybe not... the inner and outer turmoil in their barren blue collar locales. On the surface, it may appear that all hope is lost, but you will likely find folks you know well Out Past the Wires... and you will root for them.
Please don't deprive yourself of listening to Rod Picott's music!
The characters in this collection have stayed with me. I've wondered about how their often bleak but beautifully written lives would play out in a bigger picture, how they might rise above or succumb to the weight of their hardscrabble stations in the world.
There is no sugar coating. These stories ring real and true, revealing the rough challenges facing far too many as they attempt to make it in today's America. Rod writes evocative stories and tunes with a deep sense of place and a careful understanding and compassion for these weary humans. No words are wasted in his illustration of the woes of gritty hard luck people of all ages in a struggle to survive... or maybe not... the inner and outer turmoil in their barren blue collar locales. On the surface, it may appear that all hope is lost, but you will likely find folks you know well Out Past the Wires... and you will root for them.
Please don't deprive yourself of listening to Rod Picott's music!
December 30, 2021
If Rod Picott has followed advice from writers, who tend to steer new creators to write about what they know, it’s clear that he knows a thing or two about the issues of blue collar communities in small towns.
‘Out Past The Wires’ takes a candid look at the lives of twelve different characters who have the same fatalistic approach to their lives.
Whether it’s the language of the characters, the way their grim lives are laid bare or the subtle change of font colour to complement the title of ‘Primer Grey’, ( my favourite part of the book) there’s an atmospheric build about the stories that ensures that there’s no expectation of anything heartwarming coming the readers way.
There’s a melancholy beauty to this book, which should ideally be read whilst listening to the CD of the same name.
Rod Picott doesn’t only know about small town life. He knows about the power of words and how to use them, too.
‘Out Past The Wires’ takes a candid look at the lives of twelve different characters who have the same fatalistic approach to their lives.
Whether it’s the language of the characters, the way their grim lives are laid bare or the subtle change of font colour to complement the title of ‘Primer Grey’, ( my favourite part of the book) there’s an atmospheric build about the stories that ensures that there’s no expectation of anything heartwarming coming the readers way.
There’s a melancholy beauty to this book, which should ideally be read whilst listening to the CD of the same name.
Rod Picott doesn’t only know about small town life. He knows about the power of words and how to use them, too.
December 28, 2021
Such honest stores about 'real' people. Rod has a method of writing that is easy to read and never leaves you confused or lost in the story. These are not happy made up stories but stories of real life and what happens in real life. I am a 'Ken Follett' fan and have read most of his books. Rod's style, I find very close to Follett's in that there is a real truth in the stories and the conclusions - no bullshitting to make every one have a happy ending but a true conclusion.
Now that I have read the book, I am listening to the cd of the same name - and will follow with Out(takes) Past the Wires. Same honest stories in his songs - not necessarily happy good time songs but honest messages.
This book is well worth the read just for the honesty. Also, make sure you listen to the cds - they are as good and honest. Nothing fake or pretended in anything Rod does. Enjoy.
Now that I have read the book, I am listening to the cd of the same name - and will follow with Out(takes) Past the Wires. Same honest stories in his songs - not necessarily happy good time songs but honest messages.
This book is well worth the read just for the honesty. Also, make sure you listen to the cds - they are as good and honest. Nothing fake or pretended in anything Rod does. Enjoy.
December 23, 2021
Until recently I only knew Rod Picott from his musical output and did not realise he was an author as well. I'm pleased to have discovered this. Out Past The Wires is a collection of stories that grip the reader from the start and keeps you wanting more. They tell the tales of everyday working people, teenagers, wives and mothers etc. without relying on judgement or moralising but with great empathy for the characters. I actually found myself thinking about the characters and their lives hours after I had finished each story. If you want realism in your fiction you can't go far wrong with Rod Picott, whether in his book writing or music. Check him out.Rod Picott
December 28, 2021
This is a collection of short stories that capture glimpses into the hurtful aspects of the human experience: pain, loss, embarrassment, longing. But it's the fundamental longing for the barest support.
Folks are caught in painful cycles of poverty and resignation.
They get caught in addiction, responsibility, job loss, and even murder. Even the children struggle. Scarely anyone dares to dream. It'll trigger your inner "rescuer."
There's an accompanying CD that heightens the vicarious experience of each story very well.
Picott is a wonderful storywriter with a fluid command of prose, and that shines out even above the stories themselves.
I recommend it. Pick it up and you won't put it down.
Folks are caught in painful cycles of poverty and resignation.
They get caught in addiction, responsibility, job loss, and even murder. Even the children struggle. Scarely anyone dares to dream. It'll trigger your inner "rescuer."
There's an accompanying CD that heightens the vicarious experience of each story very well.
Picott is a wonderful storywriter with a fluid command of prose, and that shines out even above the stories themselves.
I recommend it. Pick it up and you won't put it down.
January 24, 2022
Rod Picott's insights into human nature can be described as astute. As you read these short stories you may wonder how the author knew his character's internal feelings. Did he possibly hear some of these stories in bars he once sang in? Did he experience many of the hardships, described, himself? Some of these answers are in the book's acknowledgements, in closing. But don't read it until you get there!
I recommend this book not only for its insights but also because it can make a person think about life. Some stories were a little difficult, at first, but most flew by and made me want more. Some of the stories might even help you see a side of life you might otherwise never know.
Oh, and don't forget to take a few minutes to listen to and enjoy the accompanying CD.
I recommend this book not only for its insights but also because it can make a person think about life. Some stories were a little difficult, at first, but most flew by and made me want more. Some of the stories might even help you see a side of life you might otherwise never know.
Oh, and don't forget to take a few minutes to listen to and enjoy the accompanying CD.
June 2, 2018
Anyone familiar with Rod Picott's songwriting understands the man can paint a picture lyrically. And during a live performance, Rod tells detailed yarns that are filled with vivid portrayals.
In "Out Past the Wires," Rod Picott brings a New England-based, hard worn tone to life via 12 tales. Each short story is filled with the daily pains and tribulations of life for a varied lot of people just trying to get through their days. Rod's style is simple, forthright and cutting to the bone. Often, the stories end with resignation and regret. But in other instances, there is an offering of a glimmer of something more through the lessons we can learn from humanity's clarity.
In "Out Past the Wires," Rod Picott brings a New England-based, hard worn tone to life via 12 tales. Each short story is filled with the daily pains and tribulations of life for a varied lot of people just trying to get through their days. Rod's style is simple, forthright and cutting to the bone. Often, the stories end with resignation and regret. But in other instances, there is an offering of a glimmer of something more through the lessons we can learn from humanity's clarity.
January 5, 2022
In this book, Picott has cobbled a collection of 12 short stories that offer picturesque glimpses of hard and sad lives. These tales are thought provoking vignettes of characters who can barely gain satisfied traction in their daily lives. As a songwriter, Rod Picott is a deft storyteller. Each story is longer than a song lyric which must tell its story in 4 minutes or less. In this book, Picott is allowed more time to add depth to the characters and stories. The result is mesmerizing. I also recommend the musical companion, a CD (compact disc) also titled "Out Past the Wires" that includes songs with themes from several of these stories. Prepare to be amazed by this tuneful wordsmith.
March 8, 2021
Author and singer-songwriter Rod Picott has written several collections of short fiction both in print and audiobook format. Out Past the Wires features tightly distilled character portraits written in a clean and straightforward style. They leave us breathless, gazing over a precipice at the wreckage of ordinary lives and personal tragedies. Picott gives us an appreciation for the quiet desperations of people we could so easily ignore.
This is a book you read in a single sitting, only to put it down hungering for more.
For a more details visit RayDanParker.com.
This is a book you read in a single sitting, only to put it down hungering for more.
For a more details visit RayDanParker.com.
December 1, 2021
Without flinching Picott writes truthfully about life where it is hard to tell the difference between bad choices and bad luck. For his characters in Out Past The Wires there is plenty of both. There is an unvarnished truth to each of his characters. For some perdition would be no worse than the lives that lead them there, it would be a continuation rather than an end. Picott’s writing compels one to watch those characters go down those errant roads to the end. It is a great collection of short stories penned by a masterful story teller.
August 8, 2022
Rod Picott gives us 10 short stories, ranging from 11 to 21 pages, that are gripping, poignant and spare. There are no wasted words, just powerful tales of human life in the workaday part of our culture. It reminds me a lot of Steinbeck's writing, but with greater economy of words and fast-moving plots. Picott is or has been a working musician in Nashville, and his fiction resembles the tightly- encapsulated lyrics you find in good songwriting.
January 12, 2022
Out Past the Wires is a finely wrought, but gritty, collection of tales drawn from hard-working but much less than perfect lives. Rod Picott’s characters, although etched with the sharp diamond edge of an experienced northern New England storyteller, have a universal connection that is not limited by the time or place of the stories. Highly recommended!
February 2, 2022
A terrific collection of nuanced stories with well drawn and realistic, relatable characters. The reader is quickly and fully immersed in believable worlds and situations. Any of these stories could easily expand into full length novels. Easily one of the best, most complete and satisfying, collection of stories I've read in some time.
August 11, 2021
Excellent collection of spare, honest stories of working class Americans. Quiet desperate lives. Many of the songs tied to songs from a recent Rod Picott CD. Found myself listening to the song, diving deeper into the story and then hearing so much more in the song when I relistened.
November 29, 2021
This book contains awesome stories that expand on the lyrical stories from the songs on his CD of the same name. They both are excellent in content and wordsmanship. I would highly recommend both of them!
January 5, 2022
My new favorite book of Short stories.
I've had the CD Out Past the Wires for at least two years and have loved the songs. The book makes it just that much more satisfying.
I am convinced Mr. Picott is a Flannery O'Conner fan - so am I !
I'm reading the book for a second time. Bravo Mr. Picott!!
I've had the CD Out Past the Wires for at least two years and have loved the songs. The book makes it just that much more satisfying.
I am convinced Mr. Picott is a Flannery O'Conner fan - so am I !
I'm reading the book for a second time. Bravo Mr. Picott!!
February 11, 2019
Great stories, real life punch.
November 29, 2021
Rod Picott paints a picture with each sentence. He shows us the grit and the shine in each character. Every story takes us to place we recognize without ever having been there.
December 1, 2021
This is a beautifully written collection of characters and their stories.
December 28, 2021
These seemingly simple stories have struggles, choices, and twists of fate that are simultaneously intimate and universal. There are more than a few that’ll stay with me a long, long time.
December 29, 2021
The characters in this collection of stories by singer/songwriter/author Rod Picott live in a world dominated by wrong choices, violence and self-destructiveness in general. In these stories, the reader enters an underclass of people living with broken relationships and varying degrees of despair. These are also people who always keep hoping that their world will get better. The struggles between hope and despair is all the more poignant as we see that, more often than not, these are people who are the sources of their own misery.
As we come to know the people in these stories, we come to care about what will happen to them. Their stories become compelling. We want to turn the pages in order to see what will happen to them next. In short, these are really good stories and rewarding to read.
As we come to know the people in these stories, we come to care about what will happen to them. Their stories become compelling. We want to turn the pages in order to see what will happen to them next. In short, these are really good stories and rewarding to read.
July 23, 2023
I really liked this book of short stories. They were evocative and some of them drew out my emotions for a long time after reading them. Each had “aha” moments in them, surprises that really made the stories. Sometimes the writing is a little awkward and clunky. In a couple of stories he was too descriptive, going on and on, when I couldn’t help but think “cut to the chase.” Those observations don’t stop me from highly recommending these stories.
In full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
In full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews