At or Near the Surface
Synopsis:
At or Near the Surface, winner of the 2008 Michael Rubin Chapbook Award, is a collection of short fiction that, with original language and lapidary prose, explores the yearnings of a cast of characters we think we know: a young woman visited by the hand and lung and toes of the baby she miscarried in Macy's; a married couple deformed by their web of adulteries; an elderly man remembering his wife as he sets his deformed pigeons free; a chemistry teacher's surprising response to the shooting death of a student. Chosen by Tin House managing editor Holly MacArthur, At or Near the Surface was published by Fourteen Hills Press in November 2008. Stories from the collection have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and have appeared in Southwest Review, Northwest Review, Boulevard, Salt Hill, and Best of the Web 2008 (chosen by Steve Almond) from Dzanc Books. "In fifteen wonderful stories, Jenny Pritchett stirs up a remarkable amount of grit and glory. These characters, as they stumble through their loves and losses, will remind you just how dangerous it is to be alive." Robin Romm, author of The Mother Garden and The Mercy Papers "The beauty of Jenny Pritchett's work is that it's both unique and familiar. The struggles of her characters are so like our own, and yet so often the choices they make surprise us. The book is funny and sorrowful and wise. I can't ask for much more." Peter Orner, author of Esther Stories and The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo "The stories in Jenny Pritchett's debut collection At or Near the Surface are beautifully written and bone-deep with emotion. She is a wonderfully unique new literary voice." Holly MacArthur, cofounder and managing editor, Tin House magazine "At or Near the Surface, the debut short story collection from gifted San Francisco writer Jenny Pritchett, is a marvel. Published by Fourteen Hills Press at San Francisco State University, these fifteen stories range from the bizarre (a woman is visited by the body parts of a baby she miscarried) to the routine (married couples struggling through infidelity, indecision, and irritation). Pritchett is one to watch, and her book is one to remember—although she’s far too good a writer to ever pen a sentence like that." Benoit Denizet-Lewis, contributing writer to the New York Times and author of America Anonymous, on The Daily Beast Buzz Board
Book Excerpt:
Topics/Categories:
Children, Families, Marriage, Relationships
Genre:
Literary Short Stories, Short Stories
Type of Work:
Publishers:
Awards:
2008 Michael Rubin Chapbook Award
Original Publish Date:
November 1, 2008
Formats:
Paperback
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