The Family Diamond: Stories - Softcover

Schwarzschild, Edward

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1565124103 ISBN 13: 9781565124103

Publisher: Algonquin Books, 2007

Synopsis

Beginning with Milly and Charlie Diamond, a long-married couple facing the world hand in hand, The Family Diamond lays bare the lasting imprint our families make on us--for better and for worse.

In these nine stories we see glimpses of our own families: when Charlie offers advice to his lovesick grandson; when a young man tries to repair his relationship with his estranged brother; and when siblings unexpectedly reunite at a hospital bedside. And when we meet up with Milly and Charlie again, in the final story, they have mysteriously regained their youth and are trying to explain to their friends--and to themselves--this unbelievable reversal of fortune.

About this title

Review

"Sparkling with wit, compassion, and sometimes whimsy, the vivid characters will not be quickly forgotten. . . . .Schwarzschild has a hit with his second work; the writing is polished well paced, and exceptional. Heartily recommended - it will leave the reader with a chuckle and a smile." ---Library Journal

"Known for taking on controversial roles headfirst, it's at its best in Edward Schwarzschild's second book, The Family Diamond, a funny/sad collection of nine short stories set in Philly. . . . Deserves a standing ovation."--Daily Candy (Philadelphia edition)

"Nothing is so difficult to write well as a realistic story about ordinary people. Schwarzschild . . . creates nine such stories here. He does it without trickery. He doesn't need fancy narrative footwork. No smoke. No mirrors. Nothing up the writer's sleeve. Nothing on his sleeve, either, except for his heart. Schwarzschild's stories have great heart. And great art¬-art that is all but invisible. In prose so elegant and so transparent that you hardly notice it, these stories simply unfold before your eyes, compelling and utterly real."--Chronogram

About the Author

Edward Schwarzschild is the author of Responsible Men, a San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, a Book Sense Notable Pick, and finalist for both the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Samuel Goldberg and Sons Foundation Prize for Jewish Fiction. He is an associate professor at the University at Albany, SUNY, and a fellow at the New York State Writers Institute.

About this edition

• Publisher: Algonquin Books
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1565124103
• ISBN 13: 9781565124103
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224