Will: Stories

by Shane Neilson

Will  is Shane Neilson’s debut collection of short fiction.

The book ranges from straightforward East Coast depictions of alcoholism and frustrated farming told in dense, lyric prose, to experimental works that play overtly with language and form. In Will, a boy is beaten by his father; another father cares for his epileptic son; an anesthetist addicted to sevoflurane ponders the works of Michael Jackson; Vladimir Nabokov takes a writer-in-residence position at Memorial University of Newfoundland; and World War I poet John McCrae dies. And yes, there is a hockey story.

Individual stories have appeared widely in magazines including Queen’s Quarterly, The Malahat Review, Fiddlehead, Geist , and The Canadian Medical Association Journal , among others.

190 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Barbara Sibbald]

I've rarely read such an inventive, widely ranging collection of short fiction...or one that is so consistently well written and engaging. Even the hockey story ("Fucking Shit Ice")! I've mostly read Shane's books of poetry, though professionally, I have been his editor at CMAJ for several medical narratives, including "The alcoholic physician" which appears in this collection in a different form and still engages me despite many re-readings. Many of the stories contain laugh-out-loud moments; I particularly enjoyed Nabokov losing it in St. John's Nfld and Dr. Remora's class of sprouting fictions ("Meant"). My favourite over all is "Sitting" - an amazingly apt description of a paraplegic physician. Exquisitely done.
Shane is one of those writers whose work will endure. He's remarkable.

Disclosure: I know Shane personally and admire his energy & his intelligence. He is genuine and caring. The "real thing" in terms of being a writer. I wrote a profile of Shane for CMAJ entitled "Poetry will help you be human." https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/18/E570

[Sween McDervish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short story collection by physician-poet Shane Neilson. My favourites include Sitting, about a quadraplegic physician trying to hold on to her identity as a doctor, Gorblimey! an imagining of the death of WWI physician-poet John McCrae (“In Flanders’ Fields”), and the series of stories about (presumably) Neilson’s family members.

[Katie Jordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters in Shane Neilson’s Will are veracious and its images, haunting. This collection of short stories attests to the uncanny relationship between healing and art during times of crisis. Deftly executed with a tremendous amount of heart, Will is a considerable contribution to our contemporary canon.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - what a voice! Shane Neilson earns his place on "writers to watch" lists with this collection of short stories. Witty and ferocious, you need to put this on your must read lists.

Enfield & Wizenty delivers another beautiful cloth book to the world of CanLit!

[Adam Honsinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shane Neilson’s tense and beautifully written collection of prose takes the reader into the penetralia of its troubled and vulnerable characters. This is not an anesthetized collection of voyeuristic imaginings, but rather a visceral and taut sojourn into a world of uncertainty, grief, and beauty.

[Doug Neilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! Such a variety of stories with excellent prose.
I felt he lifted me into the story and I could not put it down.If this is his first fiction collection,then I look forward to more.He has a great future.

[Jim Johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neilson displays a poet's eye and attention to detail in a dynamic collection of short stories. One of the year's best.