Vanishing and Other Stories - Softcover

Willis, Deborah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0143170228 ISBN 13: 9780143170228

Publisher: Penguin, 2011

Synopsis

Evocative and passionately written, VANISHING AND OTHER STORIES by debut Canadian author Deborah Willis explores emotional and physical absences, the ways in which people leave, are left, and whether or not it's ever possible to move on. Readers will encounter a skinny, freckled ice-cream scooper named Nina Simone, a vanishing visionary of social utopia, a French teacher who collects fiancés, and a fortune-telling mother who fails to predict the heartbreak of her own daughter. The characters in this collection will linger in the imagination "like the smell of lavender and molasses," proving that nothing is ever truly forgotten. Written with a remarkable economy of words, Willis' prose will draw comparisons to early Alice Munro.

About this title

Review:

"The emotional range and depth of these stories, the clarity and deftness, is astonishing." - Alice Munro "The stories in Vanishing show the magic of fiction at its best: fully realized worlds inseparable from the uncanny fact that they exist as mere words, magnificently strung together." - The Globe and Mail "The fourteen arresting stories in [Willis's] debut collection are about to hurtle her into the literary spotlight.... She elicits immediate curiosity about her characters. Right away we want to know: Who are these people? What are their stories? Yet her methods remain mysterious. If possible, Willis's prose is even less showy than Munro's: It is not merely down to earth, but of the earth. Her words feel essential and elemental. She is one of those writers who make fiction feel less of a genre than a language unto itself." - Gazette (Montreal) "If I were a betting man, I'd put a sack of cash on Deborah Willis becoming a nationally renowned writer ... a remarkably accomplished collection." - Times Colonist "Even-tempered, sober and intimate, Willis's debut collection has a gravity that suggests both the conventionality and maturity of an author well into her career. But if echoes of Mavis Gallant and Alice Munro (and, in the hard-luck stories, Raymond Carver) reveal her as an astute apprentice, Willis also illustrates her talent for crafting stories that confidently reflect her distinctive techniques and voice ... Her succession of insights about the small moments people share and the consequences of individual choices keep us turning pages, enthralled." - Vancouver Sun "Spare, haunting, and insightful, these stories are wonderfully wrought snapshots about human frailty and loss that will stay with you long after you've finished reading." - Calgary Herald "Willis' work is matter-of-fact on the surface, but beneath this veneer, it is absolutely propelled through to its captivating conclusion. The reader knows what will be discovered ... yet cannot stop reading or look away ... I wouldn't be surprised to see [the book] shortlisted for an award or two next year." - Eye Weekly "Though the stories share themes and narrative tone, each stands firmly on its own, with Willis in full control as the characters face down their losses." - Publishers Weekly "A remarkable new writer, Willis delivers 14 lovely tales and countless vivid moments in her first fiction collection... It is stunning to see how Willis' characters shape themselves around what is missing in their lives, and to see how Willis takes such care with all of the people who inhabit her stories. Readers will feel the joy of discovery in reading an emerging writer whose work will crowd our bookshelves for years to come." - Booklist "Vanishing and Other Stories is a book of rare insight into the complications of the human heart. Light of touch but deep in content, Deborah Willis's stories startle, exhilarate and radiate with piercing insights. Original and deftly structured, all 14 continue to resonate long after the book is finished." - Canada Council for the Arts

From the Back Cover:

A French teacher who collects fiances; a fortune-teller who fails to predict the heartbreak of her own daughter; an aging cowboy seduced by a city girl . . . these are some of the unforgettable people who live in these pages.

In Vanishing and Other Stories, secrets are both kept and unearthed, and lives are shaped by missing lovers, parents, and children. With wisdom and dexterity, moments of dark humor, and a remark- able economy of words, Deborah Willis captures an incredible array of characters that linger in the imagination and prove that nothing is ever truly forgotten.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0143170228
• ISBN 13: 9780143170228
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 300