Friday, May 15, 2009

Love and Obstacles: Stories by Aleksander Hemon

There was a point in my life when I didn't care for short stories but I was young and silly then. In recent years, some of the most profound books I have read have been either collections of interlinked stories or even just individual stories. Authors who are skilled can pack a huge amount of intensity and meaning into a small number of words. The following collection is by an author who is just beginning to prove that he can deliver.

In this collection of linked stories, we follow Bogdan from his time as a teenager from
Zaire to Sarajevo and on through his adult life in Chicago in this astonishing work that is by turn funny, horrifying and surreal. The first story, set in Zaire, delivers an emotional response that will keep you coming back for more. Aleksander Hemon's use of the English language is playful and dazzling and he gets better and better with each new offering.

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