The Fallible: Stories

by David Ewald

A teen discovers a gun in the trunk of his car. A spider exposes a weakness a son has never seen. A young woman reaches a breaking point with her partner while traveling in Egypt. A serial philanderer uses the personal tragedy of September 11th to his advantage. In these stories and more, the author of He Who Shall Remain Shameless takes readers down paths punctuated by the mistakes of parents and children, teachers and students, spouses and significant others--imperfect people driven by love, yearning, violence, dysfunction, memory, pain and, ultimately, hope. Spanning three decades, the end of the 20th century through the early 2020s, The Fallible is a collection brimming with the unexpected.

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2023

About the author

David Ewald is the author of the novels The Thief of THAT, The Book of Stan and He Who Shall Remain Shameless, the collection The Fallible: Stories, and the cycle Great Awakenings & Other Plays (June 2026). He is a graduate of the College of Creative Studies at the University of California Santa Barbara and the MFA creative writing program at the University of Notre Dame. He writes, teaches and parents in California's Central Valley.

Reviews

[A Look Inside: Reviews and Interviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Fallible: Stories" by David Ewald is a spellbinding collection of short stories that traverses the intricate, messy, and often poignant landscapes of human existence. With a profound and poignant storytelling style, Ewald weaves a tapestry of lives marked by imperfections, mistakes, and the enduring quest for connection and redemption.

Ewald's stories are a testament to his ability to delve deep into the human experience, creating characters who resonate with authenticity. Whether it's a teenager stumbling upon a gun, a child's curiosity and fascination with a black widow, or a young woman at her breaking point in an Egyptian adventure, each story presents a unique, immersive exploration of the human condition.

One of the standout qualities of "The Fallible" is Ewald's unflinching willingness to confront the raw, unvarnished truths of his characters. These are stories of imperfect people, fraught with love, yearning, violence, dysfunction, memory, and pain. Through these tales, the author skillfully navigates the complexities of family dynamics, personal relationships, and the human capacity for both cruelty and compassion.

Ewald's storytelling mastery shines through the collection as he spans three decades, from the end of the 20th century to the early 2020s. This temporal breadth allows readers to witness the evolution of human experiences across different eras, providing a multifaceted and insightful view of the world.

"The Fallible" is a collection that is brimming with the unexpected. Ewald's ability to craft narratives that surprise and challenge readers is a testament to his literary skill. Each story serves as a window into the lives of those who have made mistakes, stumbled, and fallen, yet still harbor the spark of hope for redemption and transformation.

"The Fallible: Stories" is a tour de force of contemporary fiction, showcasing David Ewald's remarkable talent for crafting narratives that cut to the heart of the human experience. These stories are a mirror to our own fallibility, an exploration of the beautiful messiness of life, and a reminder of our shared humanity. Ewald's storytelling is a gift to literature, offering readers a profound and emotionally resonant collection that will linger in the mind long after the final page is turned. This is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the power of storytelling to reveal the intricacies of the human heart.