«Шандарахнутое пианино» (1971) — второй роман Макгуэйна, который завоевал престижную награду фонда Ричарда и Хилды Розенталей и принес автору славу великого абсурдиста. Виртуозным языком, играя словами и пересыпая повествование шутками высочайшей пробы, Макгуэйн рассказывает нам историю Николаса Болэна — молодого человека, совсем отбившегося от рук. Роман этот — «дорожная» пикареска, потому что наш герой, нормальный американский фрик, отправляется странствовать по стране в зеленом «хадсон-хорнете» в погоне за юной миллионершей, жаждущей «реального опыта», в обществе двойного ампутанта, одержимого строительством по всей стране башен для летучих мышей, способных избавить местности от...

Grady and Graff, both Montana natives, masterfully curate this collection of hard-edged Western tales.

In his introduction to this one hundredth volume of the beloved Best American Short Stories, guest editor T. C. Boyle writes, "The Model T gave way to the Model A and to the Ferrari and the Prius . . . modernism to postmodernism and post-postmodernism. We advance. We progress. We move on. But we are part of a tradition." Boyle's choices of stories reflect a vibrant range of characters, from a numb wife who feels alive only in the presence of violence to a new widower coming to terms with his sudden freedom, from a missing child to a champion speedboat racer. These stories will grab hold and surprise, which according to Boyle is "what the best fiction offers, and there was no shortage of...

An excellent short story collection-McGuane's first-that affirms his place as one of America's most energetic and graceful writers. "A cornucopia of McGuane's grace, humor, gusto and smarts. ".

Short story about a man who comes to work on a ranch and years later is kicked out when the ranch owner goes into a nursing home… The old fella makes me go into the house in my stocking feet. The fat old lady's in a chair. The old man…

In his introduction, guest editor James Patterson observes, “I often hear people lamenting the state of Hollywood... If that’s the case, I’ve got one thing to say: read these short stories. You can thank me later.” Patterson has collected a batch of stories that have the sharp tension, drama, and visceral emotion of an Oscar-worthy Hollywood production. Spanning the extremes of human behavior, The Best American Mystery Stories 2015 features characters that must make desperate choices: an imaginative bank-robbing couple, a vengeful high school shooter, a lovesick heiress who will do anything for her man, and many others in “these imaginative, rich, complex tales” worthy of big-screen...

Declining celebrity Chet Pomeroy, attempts to win back Catherine, the girl whom he married (or perhaps did not marry) in Panama several years before. His quest for Catherine takes him to Key West, Florida, a centre of commercialism and corruption where nightmares stalk his waking hours.

A physical novel in which Lucien Taylor, a native son of Montana, embarks on a half-witted, half-unwilling journey into self-discovery.

A heroic young man is in pursuit of a spoiled rich girl, a career, and a manageable portion of the American Dream.