Offers a collection of offbeat tales that explore a world of madness, obsession, disease, medicine, and the macabre, in "Whither Thou Goest," "Pipistrel," "Lindlow Man," and the title story
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
In his previous works, both fiction ( Rituals of Surgery ) and nonfiction ( Taking the World in for Repairs ) surgeon Selzer has proved a perceptive observer of the psychological pressures caused by illness and of a physician's response to the stresses of his profession. The six stories here deal only tangentially with medicine; though the characters range from a woman dying of AIDS to the widow of a man whose heart was donated at his death, it is their emotional health on which Selzer focuses. In most of these tales, his characters' bodies and minds are in a fevered state, investing them with a heightened emotional vulnerability and a sensitivity verging on the supernatural. The two most successful stories, "Imagine a Woman" and "Poe's Light-house" are related in journal form, in precise, evocative language. Even when his plots are a bit overwrought, Selzer holds the reader mesmerized with descriptions in minute detail: a peat bog with its flora and fauna, and of a man drowning in its embrace ("Lindow Man"); a cave in which "the whole ceiling began to billow like a tent," from a fluttering horde of bats that sweeps past a woman seeking her autistic son who has taken refuge there ("Pipistrel"). His description of a festering dump, as "an endless evacuation of the waste of a city" grasps the imagination as Selzer fictionalizes a true incident involving a Brazilian scavenger poisoned by radioactive medical waste, creating a parable of the tragic dichotomy between the high-minded ideals of science and the ignorance resulting from poverty. In widening his range of subject, Selzer proves himself a truly talented practitioner of the storyteller's art.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The six stories in this collection range from bizarrely poignant to wistful and disturbing. In "Whither Thou Goest," a widow tries to come to terms with the loss of her husband by seeking out the reassuring rhythm of his transplanted heart. "Pipistrel" is the oddly absorbing story of an autistic boy whose unusual abilities lead him to a tragic metamorphosis. The final story, "Imagine a Woman," is conveyed through the journal of a woman dying from AIDS who spends her last year in a small French village exploring new wellsprings of being. The writing here is Selzer at his most inventive and entertaining. "Imagine a Woman" is an especially fine and moving story and is yet another example of Selzer's mastery of the short story genre. Highly recommended.
- Francis Poole, Univ. of Delaware Lib., Newark
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Shipping:
US$ 4.00
Within U.S.A.
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # J08A-02160
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Seller Inventory # L07P-01726
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. 1st. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 47888124-6
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Bulk Book Warehouse, Rotterdam, NY, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Some foxing and/or discoloration around edges. Shows minimal wear such as frayed or folded edges, minor rips and tears, and/or slightly worn binding. May have stickers and/or contain inscription on title page. No observed missing pages. Former library copy with library markings and/or jacket. Seller Inventory # 581QRT000S02_ns
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.9. Seller Inventory # G0394585356I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.9. Seller Inventory # G0394585356I3N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.9. Seller Inventory # G0394585356I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.9. Seller Inventory # G0394585356I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_310346476
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: HPB-Movies, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_364676835
Quantity: 1 available