Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Read: "Rust and Bone" by Craig Davidson

Read "Rust and Bone" by Craig Davidson

Short story collection by younger-ish writer. The stories are well done but your irrational dislike of Canadians will likely turn you off. My favorites in the collection of eight stories: The Rifleman, Life in the Flesh, The Apprentice's Guide to Modern Magic.

Most of the stories touch raw nerves with their unpleasant topics: dog fighting, sex addiction, chronic and debilitating illness, parental abuse and abandonment. But, the unpleasant aspects are not dwelled on for shock effect and they are well balanced by Davidson's dark humour. The author's knowledge of different subjects like Thai boxing, repossession work, and dog fighting add a lot to each story and give each story it's own unique settings and characters.

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