The Whore's Child: Stories

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This irresistible collection of short stories from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls reveals the imperfect bargains of marriage, the discoveries and disillusionments of childhood, and the unwinnable battles men and women insist on fighting with the past. "An author whose laid-back understatements can be as sharp as other writers' boldest declarations....the architect of stories you can't put down." -The New York Times Richard Russo brings the same bittersweet wit, deep knowledge of human nature, and spellbinding narrative gifts that distinguish his best-selling novels. A cynical Hollywood moviemaker confronts his dead wife's lover and abruptly realizes the depth of his own passion. As his parents' marriage disintegrates, a precocious fifth-grader distracts himself with meditations on baseball, spaghetti, and his place in the universe. And in the title story, an elderly nun enters a college creative writing class and plays havoc with its tidy notions of fact and fiction. The Whore's Child is further proof that Russo is one of the finest writers we have, unsparingly truthful yet hugely compassionate and capable of creating characters real that they seem to step off the page. Look for Richard Russo's new book, Somebody's Fool, coming soon.

Reviews

An author whose laid-back understatements can be as sharp as other writers boldest declarations.the architect of stories you cant put down. The New York Times

[Russo] has joined those writers who can be said to have coined their own universe. [He] achieves an emotional balance through his humor and generosity of spirit. Chicago Sun-Times

The most expansive of contemporary writers. The New York Times Book Review

Straightforward and engaging from the first page Mr. Russo makes writing short stories seem effortless. The Wall Street Journal

These beautifully crafted stories, made more appealing by their rueful humor, are the work of a writer at the top of his game. New York Post

Russo is a master of the small moment as nuclear explosion, the life-changing turn of the screw. His writing is unornate, but as authoritative (and cool) as marble.... The Whores Child is ... powerful and moving. Atlanta Journal Constitution

The vigorous comic voice that has always been Russos is a great leavening force here.... These stories are something to be grateful for. Newsday

The Whores Child pulsate[s] with real life. The New Leader

[Russo] stands alone as the Stendhal of blue-collar America. Esquire

Russo again proves himself the master of real-life angst with the comic twist. His characters are sometimes funny, often sad, but never pathetic. Orlando Sentinel

The Whores Child should solidify his reputation. All seven stories are lovely examples of Russos wit and compassion. Newark Sunday Star-Ledger

Author Bio

RICHARD RUSSOis the author of nine novels, most recently Chances Are...,Everybody's Fool and That Old Cape Magic; two collections of stories; and the memoir Elsewhere. In 2002 he received the Pulitzer Prize for Empire Falls, which, like Nobody's Fool, was adapted into a multiple-award-winning miniseries; in 2017, he received France's Grand Prix de Litterature Americaine. He lives in Port-land, Maine.