Losing a Bit of Eden: Recent Stories

by Levi S. Peterson

In these ten stories (three of which appear here for the first time), Levi S. Peterson demonstrates his continuing engagement to take seriously the duty of the fiction writer to illuminate and entertain. His subject remains Latter-day Saints caught between the polarities of conscience and passion. Among the stories are sober tellings of rape and misogyny, defiant statements of ascendant feminism and the worship of Heavenly Mother, and—most abundantly—narratives about impermissible love that sometimes lead to heartbreak and other times forges unexpected couplings destined to last a lifetime. Once again, Peterson shows himself as a peerless master of the English language, the tools of his craft, and the artistry of creative fiction.

256 pages, Paperback

Published May 11, 2021

Reviews

[David Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Peterson’s short stories from way back. I learned he had a new collection out when I saw it on the Benchmark Books table at Sunstone in Salt Lake City last fall. I bought the paperback on the spot, and I later picked up the audio book, as well.

I read these stories to my wife when she is falling asleep. She always misses the endings, so I often go back and re-read them to her on subsequent evenings.

These stories don't disappoint. They cover the same fringe population of Mormonism that all his work deals with. One new feature is that several of them are set in the 19th century, which adds a fun, new element to his work.

[Elizabeth Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Levi Peterson is a kindred spirit. No doubt our shared religious and cultural background plays heavily into this feeling. I think it’s also because his main characters consistently choose to find god in each other and meaning in the here and now. This resonates deeply with how I’m trying to experience life.

[Jeff Brimhall]

Kindle: Disappointing. Mostly stories about Mormon boys screwing around. Not interesting. Like previous Mormon fiction.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tugged at my hope for redemption. Enjoyed it deeply.