A German Picturesque - Hardcover

Schwartz, Jason

3.83

63 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679443320 ISBN 13: 9780679443322

Publisher: Alfred a Knopf Inc, 1998

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Twenty-one stories reveal a world of complexity in the moments and memories that make up ordinary lives, such as the conflicting images of a wedding seen through the eyes of various family members

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Review:

"Reading the 21 runelike stories that comprise Schwartz's debut collection is a bit like eavesdropping: you may not follow the conversation, but you'll certainly overhear something interesting. In these fragmentary, oblique vignettes, unnamed narrators mention mostly unnamed characters, and the relationships among the various theys, shes and hes are often unspecified. Replacing the structure of narrative are some of the pleasures of poetry ... The title story opens: 'The goblet, to begin with.' It continues with descriptions of a flag, a confession, a will, a map. The heart of the tale lies in oblique references to a murder in an earlier century, and the possible massacre of a family. In the mysteriously titled 'Killies,' maiden sisters holiday too peacefully in Spain ... Clearly this collection is not for those who want a take-charge narrator, but it may intrigue those who prefer their fiction through a glass darkly."
-- Publishers Weekly

"Schwartz's first book lies somewhere between short stories and poetry. His stories, sometimes only a page in length, investigate such events as a train ride, a visit to a garrison, or a wedding through an impressionistic stream of consciousness. Often, an object will evoke a flow of ideas; for example, the image of a postage stamp leads to an image of slaughter. Words are spare but significant, and they echo long after being read. Collections of experimental fiction will want this volume."
--Library Journal

About the Author:

Jason Schwartz's stories have been published in numerous journals, including Conjunctions, Exact Change Yearbook, The Quarterly, and StoryQuarterly. He lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

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