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Lemon.
David Haight's first collection of short stories is a spectacular meditation on the emotional violence loved ones inflict one one another: a husband and wife's buried resentments rise to the surface after a drunken ménage à trois; a young man steals from his best friend when he discovers his girlfriend is pregnant; a girl abandons her infant daughter and struggles with a father she had always pretended was dead; and in the title story, an alcoholic must chose between his family and a life of solitude. In these ten exquisitely crafted stories Haight reveals his insight into love and suffering.
210 pages, Kindle
First published July 1, 2015
About the author
David Haight
8 books16 followersIt is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there.
- William Carlos Williams.
I’ve been a writer since the seventh grade when I discovered with the help of a wonderful teacher the power and beauty of words. Since then I have looked at writing as my calling. I grew up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, raised by my mother in a double, bungalow (what I lovingly refer to as “half-a-house”), surrounded by endless rows of small houses, bowling alleys, ponds, woods, malls, gas stations and strip malls and this suburban jungle informs all of my work. Other backdrops, from my youth, such as a cabin in Alexandria and later my travels throughout Italy and France and most of Western Europe appear in various forms throughout my books.
I earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and English from Hamline University and later an MFA in writing where I was distinguished by the Quay W. Grigg award for Excellence in Literary Study. I briefly taught in the for-profit college system but decided quickly that it wasn’t for me. Since 2000 I have been a full-time writer and salesman, publishing novels and a short story collection (see Books section on this website). I have been married to Lynn Haight, who has been in social services, since 2007. I have two children, Emily Whalen (stepdaughter) and Sean Whalen (stepson). I also have three dogs (Coco, Sophie and Jack) and one very overwhelmed cat (Lola). I lead a life devoted to writing, family, friends, travel, music and discovery.
- William Carlos Williams.
I’ve been a writer since the seventh grade when I discovered with the help of a wonderful teacher the power and beauty of words. Since then I have looked at writing as my calling. I grew up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, raised by my mother in a double, bungalow (what I lovingly refer to as “half-a-house”), surrounded by endless rows of small houses, bowling alleys, ponds, woods, malls, gas stations and strip malls and this suburban jungle informs all of my work. Other backdrops, from my youth, such as a cabin in Alexandria and later my travels throughout Italy and France and most of Western Europe appear in various forms throughout my books.
I earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and English from Hamline University and later an MFA in writing where I was distinguished by the Quay W. Grigg award for Excellence in Literary Study. I briefly taught in the for-profit college system but decided quickly that it wasn’t for me. Since 2000 I have been a full-time writer and salesman, publishing novels and a short story collection (see Books section on this website). I have been married to Lynn Haight, who has been in social services, since 2007. I have two children, Emily Whalen (stepdaughter) and Sean Whalen (stepson). I also have three dogs (Coco, Sophie and Jack) and one very overwhelmed cat (Lola). I lead a life devoted to writing, family, friends, travel, music and discovery.
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September 10, 2015
David Haight has written an extraordinary collection of short stories. Lemon casts a harsh, often merciless light on ordinary events. He shows the cracks of not-quite-broken lives, revealing their overlooked corners and sharp edges with well-crafted dialog and prose. In the midst of bitterness, readers will stumble across unexpected moments of hope. Irony has a lopsided grin, a quiet truth that can stab the heart, and occasionally lift it. You must, however, swallow these stories carefully. You cannot leave crumbs on the table. Skip a few paragraphs and you will lose the beat. You must eat every word, every sentence, every paragraph. Only then will you taste the unusual, often surprising truth of what Mr. Haight has created. -- Temple Emmet Williams, award-winning author, editor and journalist
Displaying 1 of 1 review