A Kind of Flying

October 13, 2003
Comprising stories from three out-of-print collections (The News of the World
; Plan B for the Middle Class
; The Hotel Eden
), this hefty compilation showcases Carson's chatty, often playful narrative style and his fascination with the tricky nature of male-female relationships. Most of the stories are written in the first person, and Carlson is a master at confessional narrators: men—husbands, fathers and boyfriends—befuddled by, but enchanted with, the women in their lives. "There's a lot inside a man that never gets out," notes the sheriff-narrator of "Phenomena," but the men hold little back in these pages. In the unforgettable "Bigfoot Stole My Wife," a man tries to convince himself that his wife didn't mean to leave him, but was instead kidnapped by the hairy beast. In "Milk," one of this anthology's finest stories, a father who refuses to let his infant twin sons be fingerprinted, thinking it smacks of paranoia, realizes that, because of his overwhelming love for them, "now I am afraid of everything." Carlson's offbeat, frequently hopeful stories stand out amid the starker work of contemporaries like Richard Ford and Tobias Wolff. He doesn't ignore life's rougher spots, though: in "The Hotel Eden" a naïve young meteorologist, in love with his girlfriend and thrilled with his new, enigmatic buddy, is forced by an act of betrayal to reconsider his optimism and trust. For fans of short fiction, this will prove a treat. (Oct.)

Forecast:
While it's a bit daunting in size, this is a good volume to dip into now and then; blurbs from Stephen King and Antonya Nelson testify to Carlson's broad appeal and should help attract readers of both commercial and literary fiction.

Starred review from September 15, 2003
Drawn from Carlson's three previously published and highly acclaimed collections-"The News of the World," "Plan B for the Middle Class," and "The Hotel Eden"-this hugely appealing selection is among the finest collections of short fiction you will likely encounter. These wry, generous, elegantly written stories mostly concern professional, middle-class characters struggling to understand themselves and connect meaningfully with others. Many of Carlson's characters are lonely, some are confused, and a few are simply overwhelmed by what life has thrown at them. Yet they are listeners and thinkers who engage life deeply, and they bristle with a remarkable vitality. Thematically, Carlson explores a series of richly complex themes related to finding happiness and living honorably. Some of these stories are whimsical and offbeat ("Bigfoot Stole My Wife"), while others handle the more serious subjects of loss and death. The very best-like "Blazo," "Oxygen," and "The Governor's Ball"-take us places we have never been before. An important and inspiring collection.-Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2003
Carlson is a master of the short story. He runs the gamut of emotions and styles, from bittersweet to hysterically funny--from stories of sexual awakening and love gone wrong to zany tales and satires. Each of these 35 stories (from previous collections no longer available) is perfectly crafted and as involving as a novel. "The H Street Sledding Record" is a wonderful tale of a father's preservation of the magic of Christmas that ought to become a holiday classic. "The Chromium Hook" puts a riotous spin on the old urban legend. And, "Bigfoot Stole My Wife" and the answering "I Am Bigfoot" are as funny as they are charming. The collection is introduced by "Friends of My Youth," a story about the genesis and writing of the stories. These are stunningly artistic stories suitable for all fiction lovers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)