If the only subjects worthy of a writer’s labor concern certain universal truths, which William Faulkner called the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself, then Marlin Barton has achieved a noble goal with his splendid second collection of stories, “Dancing by the River.” Most of the stories center around several generations of […]

I cannot remember when I’ve gained so much wisdom from such a small novel. In his first book in several years, Clyde Edgerton tells a haunting tale of Aunt Lil, her nephew Carl and L. Ray Flowers along with several other memorable characters, several who “live” at Rosehaven Convalescence Center in Listre, North Carolina. The […]

Bev Marshall’s first novel, Walking through Shadows, is a breathtaking creation. Set in a small town in rural Mississippi just before World War II, the story’s obvious center is the murder of a young woman, Sheila Barnes. Sheila is one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve run across in recent years – just seventeen at […]

When I read William Gay’s first novel, The Long Home, recently, I had the strong feeling that I had discovered the work of someone very special – and reading Provinces of Night has confirmed that for me. Gay writes with a carefully and languidly – the breadth and depth of his writing demands full attention […]