Russell Banks Book order

From one of America’s most celebrated storytellers come three dark, interlocking tales about the residents of a rural New York town, and the shocking headlines that become their local mythologies.

"In 1971, a property speculator named Harley Mann begins recording his life story onto a reel-to-reel machine. Reflecting on his childhood in the early 20th century, Harley recounts that after his father's sudden death, his family migrated down to Florida-mere miles away from what would become Disney World-to join a community of Shakers. Led by Elder John, a generous man with a mysterious past, the colony devoted itself to labor, faith, and charity, rejecting all temptations that lay beyond the property. Though this initially saved Harley and his family from complete ruin, when Harley began falling in love with Sadie Pratt, a consumptive patient who lived on the grounds, his loyalty to the Shakers and their conservative worldview grew strained and, ultimately, broke. As Harley dictates his story across more than half-a-century, the truth about Sadie, Elder John, and the Shakers comes to light, clarifying the past into a world we recognize today"-- Provided by publisher

This collection features new stories that explore the intricate dynamics of modern American families, showcasing Russell Banks' keen insight and storytelling prowess. Known for his acclaimed works, Banks delves into the emotional landscapes and challenges faced by families today, offering a poignant and thought-provoking examination of relationships and identity. Each narrative reveals the complexities of familial bonds, making this a compelling read for those interested in contemporary life and human connections.

At the centre of Foregone is famed Canadian American leftist documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife, one of sixty thousand draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam. Fife, now in his late seventies, is dying of cancer in Montreal and has agreed to a final interview in which he is determined to bare all his secrets at last, to demythologise his mythologised life.

Utilizing a unique seventeenth-century form, this fictional work reflects the experiences of imprisoned Puritan divines, aiming to illustrate the trials of faith faced by believers. The narrative, framed by scripture and sermons, captures the sincere yet artificial recounting of suffering meant for an audience outside prison walls. Russell Banks employs this form not to mock but to engage thoughtfully with its underlying mindset, seeking to understand and appreciate its complexities.

“Banks’s narrative seductively juxtaposes rambles through lush volcanic mountains, white sand beaches and coral reefs with a barrage of memories of the hash he’s made of his private life.” —The New York Times Book Review Now in his mid-seventies, Russell Banks has indulged his wanderlust for more than half a century. This longing for escape has taken him from the “bright green islands and turquoise seas” of the Caribbean islands to peaks in the Himalayas, the Andes, and beyond. In each of these remarkable essays, Banks considers his life and the world. In Everglades National Park this “perfect place to time-travel,” he traces his own timeline. Recalling his trips to the Caribbean in the title essay, “Voyager,” Banks dissects his relationships with the four women who would become his wives. In the Himalayas, he embarks on a different quest of self-discovery. “One climbs a mountain not to conquer it, but to be lifted like this away from the earth up into the sky,” he explains. Pensive, frank, beautiful, and engaging, Voyager brings together the social, the personal, and the historical, opening a path into the heart and soul of this revered writer.

A comprehensive survey of the work of one of America's best-known photographers. Renowned for his melancholic, dramatic and painterly images of small-town America, Gregory Crewdson has evolved over a nearly thirty-year career into one of the world's most acclaimed photographers.

On probation after doing time for a liaison with an under-age girl, the Kid is forbidden to live within 2500 feet of anywhere children might gather. Enter the Professor. The two men forge a tentative partnership, but then the Professor's past resurfaces and threatens to destroy his carefully constructed world.

The first story collection in a decade from the great Russell Banks

Exploring themes of innocence and moral complexity, the story follows a young man, known as the Kid, who is grappling with the consequences of his past actions and the restrictions placed on him. His life intersects with the Professor, a figure shrouded in secrets, leading to a fragile alliance. As the Professor's history threatens to disrupt their bond, the Kid is forced to confront his beliefs and make a critical choice that challenges his understanding of right and wrong.