T.C. Boyle Stories II

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This second volume of collected short fiction showcases the inventive and humorous storytelling of T.C. Boyle, a bestselling author and recipient of the 2015 Rea Award for the Short Story. Following the critical acclaim of his first collection, this edition compiles work from his three most recent collections along with fourteen previously unpublished stories and a reflective preface. Boyle's narratives range from mythic to realistic, farcical to tragic, capturing a wide spectrum of human emotions. The fifty-eight stories, written over the past eighteen years, reveal his evolving themes, including contemporary social issues such as air rage and the struggles of abortion doctors, alongside character-driven tales of quiet power and passion. Timeless themes of first love, mortality, and the tension between civilization and wildness are also explored. The new stories challenge characters' emotional and physical limits, featuring scenarios like giants bred for war, a Russian woman defying radiation warnings, a writer's unexpected journey for an award, and a man's excessive concern for a widow in a California town. With mordant wit, emotional depth, and exquisite prose, this collection stands as a testament to Boyle’s boundless imagination and storytelling prowess.