The Darkness Call: Essays

by Gary Fincke

In these essays, Gary Fincke combines a journalist’s relentless investigations into the darkest corners of the human condition with an academic’s love for arcana. In one essay, almost forgotten homeopathic recipes from the pantries of Pennsylvania Dutch country are interwoven with the panicked absurdities of elementary school health classes in the 1960s. In another, old case files of small town murders intertwine with meditations on all the fears, large and small, that accompany parenting. In The Darkness Call, Fincke plumbs the depths―child abuse, violence, illness, grief―not for their sadness but for moments of courage, hope, empathy, and light.

164 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2018

Reviews

[Greg Bem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent topics with trance-inducing content. Despite the occasional typo and some pretty awful spacing in the book (due in part to the publisher, and not required of the lyrical essay form), the book does suffer. But overall a generous book to peruse with some very compelling themes and topics.

[phil breidenbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable, I found his writing a bit off at first but feel quickly into his style of writing! Living near to where his stories are placed, or experienced helped also! I like this guys writing!