Fifteen ferociously imaginative and provocative stories was how "Kirkus" presciently welcomed this early work of PEN/Faulkner-winning, Man Booker shortlisted author Karen Joy Fowler. First published in 1998 to high praise, and now reissued with the addition of a prefatory essay, "Black Glass" showcases the extraordinary talents of this prizewinning author. In fifteen gemlike tales, Fowler lets her wit and vision roam freely, turning accepted norms inside out and fairy tales upside down pushing us to reconsider our unquestioned verities and proving once again that she is among our most subversive writers. So, then: Here is Carry Nation loose again, breaking up discos, smashing topless bars, radicalizing women as she preaches clean living. And here is Mrs. Gulliver, her patience with her long-voyaging Lemuel worn thin. And what of Tonto, the ever-faithful companion, turning forty without so much as a birthday phone call from that masked man? It is a book full of great themes and terrific stories but it is the way in which Fowler tells the tale, develops plot and character, plays with time, chance, and reality that makes these pieces so original."
Author Biography
Karen Joy Fowler is the author of six novels and three short story collections. Her most recent novel, "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves," won the PEN/Faulkner Award and the California Book Award, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.
