Parables & Lies

by Jesse Ball

This is the first volume of The Cupboard, a quarterly pamphlet series based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

"The Cupboard's inaugural pamphlet contains thirty-six short narratives about weary travelers and siblings of strange portent. Here is a world of kingdoms and distrust, of strangers to be encountered and age-old morals never, probably, to come."

76 pages, The Cupboard Vol. 1

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Jesse Ball (1978-) Born in New York. The author of fourteen books, most recently, the novel How To Set a Fire and Why. His prizewinning works of absurdity have been published to acclaim in many parts of the world and translated into more than a dozen languages. The recipient of the Paris Review's Plimpton Prize, as well as fellowships from the NEA, the Heinz foundation, and others, he is on the faculty at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Reviews

[Benjamin Niespodziany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Punch me in the head, this is good. The first part of the compilation/anthology The Village on Horseback. I'm reviewing each one independently, just because. "The Coming Upon a Play" and "Before the Emperor" and "To Knock at an Unknown Door" are some of the best tiny stories I have ever read. Parables? Fables? Prose poems? Goddamn.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if Jesse knows I'm on goodreads. But he gave me this book so I should be nice and rate it here, especially since I rate it highly and I do enjoy his writing, which is the honest-to-goodness truth. In other words, not a lie.

[P.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. A. Tyler sent me this book along with his chapbook The Girl in the Black Sweater. I greatly enjoyed Parables & Lies and read it a number of times. It was interesting, very elimae-ic prose.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cupboard makes really cool books. This book is really cool.

[Amy]

Anybody got one to lend, sell, swap?