Redemption Center

by Vincent Craig Wright

Fiction. Though his characters are more often buzzed by airplanes than angels, more often preyed on than prayed over, Vincent Craig Wright manages to deliver as much redemption as sin in the thirteen tales, some comic, some dreamlike, that make up this debut collection. He's mostly gentle on his sinners, though, honoring their essential humanity even as they contemplate murder or try to wiggle out of their commitments. Wright's trim lines, devoid of falsity while rich in the small gestures that reveal character, and his casual evocation of the denatured landscape of contemporary America demonstrate that intelligent design is more readily found in art than in the world art describes. "REDEMPTION CENTER is a splendid collection of stories by a natural storyteller who can grab a reader with absolutely irresistible first sentences (an all-too-rare talent) and then never let go. Vincent Craig Wright has got the Gift, and I now stand ready to eagerly read anything he writes"--Robert Olen Butler.

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Chazlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had the privilege to take a class with Mr. Wright at Southern Oregon University. It was my first (and so far only) university level writing class. I LOVED it. Mr. Wright was a very laid back and funny professor, who commented on his students thoughts and work in a wonderfully non judgmental manner, and with a lot of humor. He encouraged us to just be ourselves when writing, and allow that to open ourselves up.

I'd take another class with him in a heartbeat.

Another professor of mine leant me this book by Mr. Wright, and I went through it as quickly as I could. I loved how understated the characters and stories were, almost as if you were supposed to know them. And I suppose if you are from the south, you do, or know someone like them. That's the charm of it. It practically oozes southern hospitality and mentality. There were many times however, where I felt I didn't quite get the point of the stories, the moral or what was going on. Whether that's my fault or not, I'm not sure.