Kick in the Head: Stories - Softcover

Rinehart, Steven

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0385498543 ISBN 13: 9780385498548

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2001

Synopsis

In stories that are as diverting as they are disconcerting, Steven Rinehart plumbs the psyche of that most perplexing beast: the American male. Set against a stark Midwestern landscape dotted with trailers, guns, cars, and crashed, these are deftly crafted and oddly resonant portraits of men behaving badly and men who have it bad--usually at the same time.
A Boy Scout struggles through a bizarre boys-to-men ritual. A man starts a love affair with a diabetic who prefers booze to insulin. Another man who's finally enjoying his first sex-only relationship destroys it by clinging to a white lie. From the high school teacher battling his attraction to a troubled student to the patron who becomes a conspirator in a violent outburst in a bar, these are guys who have a lot to learn and seem to insist on doing so the hard way. Linked throughout the collection in surprising ways, Rinehart's stories ultimately form a cohesive work that introduces his as a writer of striking vision and offers a sharp-focus snapshot of men who need a kick in the head--and get it when they least expect it.

About this title

About the Author

Steven Rinehart spent his childhood on military bases in Europe. His family then moved to Illinois, and he went to school in Hawaii and Iowa. His stories have been published in a variety of magazines, including Harper's, GQ, Story, and Ploughshares and he has received both NEA and Michener Fellowships. He lives in New York City.

From the Back Cover

The stories in this collection establish Steven Rinehart as a master of observation with an uncanny ability plumb to the psyche of that most perplexing beast, the American male, and to create infuriatingly real characters who find themselves in hilariously scary situations.
A man who's finally enjoying his first sex-only relationship destroys it by clinging to a white lie. Another, who has long pined for his best friend's girlfriend finally has his chance, but has to contend with her trigger-happy brother. From the high school teacher battling his attraction to a troubled student to the man who becomes a conspirator in a violent outburst in a bar, these are guys who have a lot to learn-and seem to insist on doing so the hard way.

From the Inside Flap

in this collection establish Steven Rinehart as a master of observation with an uncanny ability plumb to the psyche of that most perplexing beast, the American male, and to create infuriatingly real characters who find themselves in hilariously scary situations.

A man who's finally enjoying his first sex-only relationship destroys it by clinging to a white lie. Another, who has long pined for his best friend's girlfriend finally has his chance, but has to contend with her trigger-happy brother. From the high school teacher battling his attraction to a troubled student to the man who becomes a conspirator in a violent outburst in a bar, these are guys who have a lot to learn-and seem to insist on doing so the hard way.

Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0385498543
• ISBN 13: 9780385498548
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240