The Beach Umbrella and Other Stories

by Cyrus Colter

Set mostly on Chicago's South Side, these eighteen stories describe ordinary people whose lives are transformed by small acts of chance or will. From depictions of the ordered urban enclaves of the black middle class to the dank and dirty tenements of the lonely city's poor, Colter's sharp, spare prose etches perceptive portraits of people who endure and overcome the most severe threats to their spirits.

283 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1970

Reviews

[Courtney Ferriter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was unfamiliar with this author's work before reading this collection. The short stories here are well-crafted. Would recommend.

[Malik · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked some stories, others felt like I was meandering through characters and setting with no reward. Will return to the stories I liked though. Colter makes Chicago stop for a second at least.

[Ava LeHebenstreit · Rating 2 out of 5]

good stories,, just got impatient at the end haha..