Dog on the Cross

January 1, 2004
In his debut collection, Gwyn (American literature, Univ. of North Carolina, Charlotte) depicts the experiences of a small Pentecostal community in Oklahoma during the week it is visited by a teenaged faith healer. In "Courtship," Jansen spends a good part of his life denying his romantic attraction to his childhood best friend and later college roommate, Dennison. When Dennison loses his hair, his youth, and his confidence, Jansen stays beside him and even helps him get women, hoping that Dennison will eventually have his fill of them. In "The Offering," a woman whose voice was once her instrument of worship is left unable to speak for months after surgery leaves her in a coma. This is a striking collection of quirky stories, strung together with themes of faith and self-discovery. However, the deep, almost obsessive introspection of the characters weighs down the reader like the scrutiny of a small town. Recommended especially for libraries in the region.-Ann H. Fisher, Radford P.L., VA

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March 15, 2004
This haunting debut collection features eight loosely related stories set in the sleepy town of Perser, Oklahoma. The centerpiece of the town--as well as most of the stories--is the Pentecostal church, a bastion of fundamental Christianity artfully poised to protect the faithful and condemn the sinners scattered across the harsh Oklahoma landscape. Much of the action takes place during a pivotal summer when the church is in revival mode and a charismatic teen faith healer directly or indirectly touches the lives of a broad spectrum of characters. Although each of these stories is capable of standing on its own, together they represent a potent glimpse into the occasionally uplifting but more often dangerously fanatical elements of religious fundamentalism. Reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor, Gwyn uses faith as the foundation for a compelling analysis of human behavior.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)