When the Color Started

by Bradford Philen

A straight-A Chinese-American high school student mourns the death of her mother and makes a new friend from Senegal; a suburban mother of three discovers that the Arab boy she lost her virginity to is now a jihadist; an American boxer in Thailand unexpectedly comes to a fight-night reckoning with his escort girlfriend and the local authorities. Bradford Philen’s newest collection of stories gleefully dives into the problematic archetypes that loom largest in the American psyche—Beijing expat party girls, black single mothers in LA’s West Side, registered sex offenders—and dares to probe their inner lives with Chekhovian grace and understanding. As a complex and provocative collection that openly challenges our most deeply held notions of authenticity in storytelling, When the Color Started delivers a sensitive and fearless depiction of how one half of a country dares to imagine the other.

234 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2020

About the author

Bradford Philen has taught high school English since 2002 in Namibia, New York City, Senegal, China, and is now working in the Philippines. He is the author of the novella AUTUMN FALLS and two short story collections--EVERYTHING IS INSHA'ALLAH and WHEN THE COLOR STARTED. His fourth book, a novel, is forthcoming in 2024. You can find his full list of publications at http://www.bradfordphilen.com.

Reviews

[Selma Stearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked these short stories - they focused on characters and parts of society I haven’t seen represented often in media! I liked how some were a page or two so just a fleeting glance and others you got more attached to the characters.

[Jim Latham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend of mine recommended this book to me, and I'm glad I listened to her. (Thanks, Jen.) All of the stories in Bradford Philen's When the Color Started share deft characterization, solid dialogue, and high-quality writing, but what most impressed me is how the backgrounds of the narrators range widely across sex, gender, nationality, and class while always remaining credible and relatable. I particularly enjoyed Fight Night, Chosen, Spread, and Bucket List. Do yourself a favor and read this book. 10/10

[aNorthernSoul Lightbown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intriguing collection of first-person narratives which highlight the growing sophistication of the writer’s style. As an English Lit teacher myself, I particularly enjoyed the epistolary short story from a student writing to her teacher after finishing her English exam early! These stories left a warm glow, nothing “malodorous” as said student might have opined, and I encourage the writer to challenge himself to write a full-length novel next time. I liked this collection.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite and most unique collections of short stories. Philen is able to convey heart-wrenching moments so you feel like you’re there and IN it. The dialogue is so well done that it reminds you maybe of a conversation you heard or one that you had. I LOVE “Informal letter written…”

[Kase Johnstun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book of short stories!