Ideas of Heaven – A Ring of Stories: A Ring of Stories (Revised) - Softcover

Silber, Joan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 039332687X ISBN 13: 9780393326871

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005

Synopsis

Intense in subject yet restrained in tone, these stories are about longings-often held for years-and the ways in which sex and religion can become parallel forms of dedication and comfort. Though the stories stand alone, a minor element in one becomes major in the next. In "My Shape", a woman is taunted by her dance coach, who later suffers his own heartache. A Venetian poet of the 1500s, another storyteller, is introduced to a modern traveler reading Rilke. His story precedes a mesmerizing narrative of missionaries in China. In the final story, Giles, born to a priesthood family, leans toward Buddhism after a grievous loss, and in time falls in love with the dancer of the first story. So deft and subtle is Joan Silber with these various perspectives that we come full circle surprised and enchanted by her myriad worlds. National Book Award finalist. Reading group guide included.

About this title

Review:

"These stories deftly create the ring promised in their subtitle, as major characters in one story reappear as minor players in another. . . . The stories are about rapturous love and devastating loss."

Synopsis:

A debut anthology of short fiction explores the issue of human longings and how sex and religion have become parallel forms of comfort and dedication, linking each story with the following by a minor element in one tale that becomes a major theme of the next. Reprint. 100,000 first printing.

About this edition

• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 039332687X
• ISBN 13: 9780393326871
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224