Problems with People: Stories

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

David Guterson, bestselling author of Snow Falling on Cedars, returns with ten sharply observed, funny and wise new stories exploring the mysteries of love and our complex desires to connect with others within the dramas of daily life 'Achingly touching collection Everywhere Guterson turns he finds parents cut-off from their children, citizens at odds with their country, and all of us lost in an illusory Google universe. Superb' Independent A new couples first night together is overshadowed by a decades-old story of a lost love. A man takes a two hour walk across Kathmandu to visit his estranged wife in hospital in midst of a Maoist strike. A man accompanies his Holocaust survivor father on a trip to his German city of birth. A newly diagnosed dementia patient misses his last opportunity to see his youngest son. A family is forced to sit through a dinner-time account of the death of their teenage son as their food turns cold on the table. And an unexpected and tender friendship develops between an ailing man and his dog walker. In Problems with People relationships solidify, crumble and are forged anew. These ten sharply observed stories are imbued with David Gutersons signature gifts for characterisation, psychological nuance, emotional suspense and evocation of the natural world. By turns funny, thought provoking and deeply moving, Guterson deftly taps into the sadness, beauty, joy and complexities of our everyday lives.

Reviews

Achingly touching collection Everywhere Guterson turns he finds parents cut-off from their children, citizens at odds with their country, and all of us lost in an illusory Google universe. Superb * Independent *
This collections wry charm is to show that real communication is still possible, quite often unexpected and, when it happens, redemptive Refreshingly untricksy in style, every story winded me with its precise and unsentimental observation of human isolation, sometimes transcended by the kindness of strangers, more often beyond reach Timeless and moving, these are smart stories indeed * Country Life *
Whats striking about David Gutersons excellent new collection of short stories is the consistent brilliance of the set-ups Each of the ten stories fascinates in a different way, and the main problem is trying to resist devouring these crisply written morsels in one delirious binge * Daily Mail *
Guterson is a master of mood and character, nailing with impressive depth, in just a few pages, psychological landscapes, personal histories and their wider contexts. These powerful, accomplished stories, where no word is wasted, have a shimmering quality and are compelling to read **** * Lady *
Gutersons stories are like Raymond Carvers relocated to the north-west Packs a considerable emotional punch Powerful and deeply moving * Jewish Chronicle *

Author Bio

David Guterson is the bestselling author of the novels Snow Falling on Cedars, East of the Mountains, Our Lady of the Forest, The Other and Ed King; a collection of short stories, The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind; a non-fiction book Family Matters: Why Home Schooling Makes Sense; a memoir Descent: A Memoir of Madness and a collection of poetry Songs for a Summons. Snow Falling on Cedars won the PEN/ Faulkner Award and was made into a major film starring Ethan Hawke. David Guterson lives in Washington State.