What Salmon Know

by Elwood Reid

Compared by critics to such masterful storytellers as Raymond Carver, Rick Bass, and Thom Jones, Elwood Reid, author of the acclaimed novel If I Don't Six , signals a powerful presence on the American literary landscape with his knockout story collection, What Salmon Know .

Reid's characters are tough men living in a world tougher than they are. Life's disappointments fester in their hearts, dashing earnest hopes and provoking violent tendencies made manifest in bad behavior and fatalistic posturing. But there's more to these men than meets the eye, and with great emotional acuity, Reid sheds light on their opaque souls.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 1999

Reviews

[Mbreaden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost all of the stories in this collection amused and surprised me with the author's perspective of manly workingman-ness, but none of them really stood out to me except for "Happy Jack." As well-intentioned as the rest of the stories were, they all seemed to come from the same narrator who is not changed throughout the novel, for good or worse. However, Elwood Reid has spare writing style and a good ear for poetic syntax and I appreciated the lack of pretense.

[AD LAND · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done stories about blue-collar losers and almost-losers. Best read with time gaps between the stories as the same voice runs through them all.

[Kendall]

Found this collection of stories on the bargain table at the Book Review in Huntington- NY. The description on the back said Compared by critics to the work of Raymond Carver- Rick Bass- and Thom Jones- all authors I like. Nice collection- and nicely written. My biggest complaint- again- is that the endings- for the most part- elude me. I just don't get them. It's like someone hitting the stop button right in the middle of a song the way these stories end. Everything

[Cats W. Bats, Esq. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Story collections are always a mixed bag, but I liked most of the stories presented in this collection. As other reviewers have pointed out, "Happy Jack" is a standout. I also really enjoyed "No Strings Attached."

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading short story collections are not my easy picks, for some reason. But these were all evenly good and terrifically satisfying. Gut laughs and all the rest made them all worthwhile.