American Masculine: Stories
A short-story collection set against the myths of the American West, tracing violence and the possibility of reconciliation. It reexamines the wounds hidden inside masculine roles.
Work Information
The myths of masculinity are unraveled in the American West.
As Shann Ray’s debut collection, family, violence, and forgiveness rise with the Western landscape. The restrained prose is a major strength.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Graywolf Pr
- Published
- 2011-06-21
- Pages
- 185 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 13.97 x 1.17 x 20.96 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9781555975883
- ISBN-10
- 1555975887
- Price
- 3272 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Literature & Fiction/Short Stories/Anthologies
Winner of the 2010 Bakeless Prize for Fiction, a muscular debut that reconfigures the American West The American West has long been a place where myth and legend have flourished. Where men stood tall and lived rough. But that West is no more. In its place Shann Ray finds washedup basketball players, businessmen hiding addictions, and women fighting the inexplicable violence that wells up in these men. A son struggles to accept his father's apologies after surviving a childhood of beatings. Two men seek empty basketball hoops on a snowy night, hoping to relive past glory. A bull rider skips town and rides herd on an unruly mob of passengers as he searches for a thief on a train threading through Montana's Rocky Mountains. In these stories, Ray grapples with the terrible hurt we inflict on those we love, and finds that reconciliation, if far off, is at least possible. The debut of a writer who is out to redefine the contours of the American West, American Masculine is a deeply felt and fiercely written ode to the country we left behind.
Shann Ray holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Alberta. His work has appeared in McSweeney's , Narrative Magazine , and Story Quarterly . He teaches at Gonzaga University, and lives in Washington State.
Reviews
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Gritty stories but most end at least modestly upbeat
Don't expect comic relief in these stories. For the most part they make something like Grapes of Wrath or Angela's Ashes look downright light hearted. But they are told with poetic sympathy and grace that smooths the hard edges. I like the way Ray changes the tempo to match the physical and emotional moment. He is an inventive writer using mostly common words with new group meanings rather than keeping the reader thumbing through the dictionary. He draws well on subjects he knows best-reservation life, animals, and earthy and flawed people as they try to learn to forgive and accept forgiveness. It's the most spell-binding book I've read in sometime.
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This is a collection of stories about life from the ...
This is a collection of stories about life from the perspective of a moden day Native American. The stories are do not have pleasant endings as one might hope, but I believe they are reflective of the trials that Native American's face as they try to maintain their unique culture and live in today's America at the same time.
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Montanans should LOVE this book!
But not just Montanans. Shann's writing is emotionally charged for anyone who grew up in dysfunction, anywhere. As a contemporary in age and geography and familial background, it was especially poignant for me; but his winning of the Bakeless prize was no coincidence and the judge recognized the universal themes running through all the stories. They are filled with Intensity, and a longing for meaning, love and hope that will resonate with all readers. Great Book!
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Lovely
A gorgeous and thought provoking collection about gender roles in modern society, encompassing marriage, love, adultery, responsibility and heartbreak. And somehow, beautifully, in this somewhat harsh world, there is an echo of forgiveness. Don't miss Shann Ray's story, "Mrs. Secrest," one of the most perfect short stories I have ever read. A very talented, big-thinking, generous writer-- definitely someone to watch.
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Dark, beautifully written stores.
Haven't finished yet. Writing superb. VERY dark. Can only take a little at a time.