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The Talker: Stories
"If you ever wondered what life is like for the down and out, the remarkable Sojourner lays it out in precise and unsparing prose in her latest collection of short stories."
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY , starred review
From security guards and jack rabbits to bartenders and blue herons , the desert–dwellers in The Talker surface with grit and grace from dust–blown trailers, ancient Joshua trees, and artificial lakes. With her signature down–to–earth storytelling style, Mary Sojourner explores the lives of working class people, threats to Western landscapes, and the complexities of love. The Talker depicts a community weathering the desert glare of the Mojave, seeking refuge, truth, and escape.
MARY SOJOURNER is the author of the novels, 29 , Sisters of the Dream and Going Through Ghosts ; the short story collections The Talker and Delicate ; an essay collection, Ruin and Grace in the New Southwest ; and memoirs, Rituals of Loss and Desire and She Bets Her Life . She is an intermittent NPR commentator and the author of many essays, columns and op–eds for High Country News , Writers on the Range , and other publications. A graduate of the University of Rochester, Sojourner teaches writing in private circles, one–on–one, at colleges and universities, writing conferences, and book festivals. She believes in both the limitations and possibilities of healing through writing—the most powerful tool she has found for doing what is necessary to mend. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY , starred review
From security guards and jack rabbits to bartenders and blue herons , the desert–dwellers in The Talker surface with grit and grace from dust–blown trailers, ancient Joshua trees, and artificial lakes. With her signature down–to–earth storytelling style, Mary Sojourner explores the lives of working class people, threats to Western landscapes, and the complexities of love. The Talker depicts a community weathering the desert glare of the Mojave, seeking refuge, truth, and escape.
MARY SOJOURNER is the author of the novels, 29 , Sisters of the Dream and Going Through Ghosts ; the short story collections The Talker and Delicate ; an essay collection, Ruin and Grace in the New Southwest ; and memoirs, Rituals of Loss and Desire and She Bets Her Life . She is an intermittent NPR commentator and the author of many essays, columns and op–eds for High Country News , Writers on the Range , and other publications. A graduate of the University of Rochester, Sojourner teaches writing in private circles, one–on–one, at colleges and universities, writing conferences, and book festivals. She believes in both the limitations and possibilities of healing through writing—the most powerful tool she has found for doing what is necessary to mend. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.
- GenresFictionShort Stories
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2017
2 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 22, 2018
Collection of short stories. Stories are a mixture of drama, struggles with life choices and spiritual journeys. Nothing pulled me in nor will they stay with me, ok read.
April 22, 2020
Though I didn't love these stories, I still love Sojourner's voice; she will always remind me of Flagstaff, of home and loss and choices and accidents, just in the rhythm of her writing, and that kind of familiarity is comforting right now.
April 22, 2017
Mary Sojourner is simply a master raconteur. Each story is this collection belongs to people you’ve met or known or heard of, who lead lives of grit and truth. These stories have not been prettied or airbrushed: they speak of difficulty, loss, and struggle. Yet the people Sojourner writes of strike a chord within, and will walk around with you long after you’ve finished each tale. If you haven’t yet read any of Sojourner’s writings, dig in. If you have, you’ll be grateful to have this much more of her.
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July 28, 2017PW
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews