Dance Me Outside (Nonpareil Books) [Paperback]

W. P. Kinsella (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Originally published in Canada in 1977, and only now available in the United States, this collection by a white writing from an Indian perspective offers many delights, chief of which are the good storytelling, the ingenue as central narrator, the moderately exotic setting (Alberta), and the human values that charge every scene. Characters that are now stock (the fat medicine woman, the Indian girl marrying not necessarily up but off the reserve) join absolute originals in a series of alternately poignant, dramatic, frightening, depressing, and comic incidents. Reappearing characters and a modified dialect make for some minor repetitions (the stories first appeared separately) but also serve to unify the collection. Recommended for most libraries. Rhoda Yerburgh, Adult Degree Program, Vermont Coll., Montpelier
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher (March 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879239824
• ISBN-13: 978-0879239824
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,382,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very entertaining collection of short stories., July 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Dance Me Outside (Nonpareil Books) (Paperback)

This book is a great collection of short stories. This is mainly written from the viewpoint of Silas, about the adventures if him and Frank, as well as a colourful collection of characters living on a reserve. These stories are mostly humourous, sometimes tragic, yet true to life. I enjoyed almost the whole book, however I did think the begining was somewhat slow. However, one does create a bond with the characters quickly and can share in their joy and pain! So on the whole - I will recommend this book as one not to miss.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative Short Stories With a Moral, September 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Dance Me Outside (Nonpareil Books) (Paperback)

This book remains on my top-ten reading list, due to Kinsella's hard hitting expression of life's many ironies, foibles and realities. Each fiction story is compelling and fast-moving; adeptly using humor, grief and affection to hit you with one of life's bitter-sweet truths. Each story has a couple lines near the end that quite subtly imply a moral to "tell it like it is." The easily-read stories have a few common characters to help with each different setting. This is Kinsella's best package of short stories -- which deserves to be reprinted. At least for this middle-aged guy, 'Dance Me Outside' is an excellent read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential Kinsella!, February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dance Me Outside (Nonpareil Books) (Paperback)

Social commentary that makes for an interesting read. I found most of the stories very amusing, some very thought-provoking. Kinsella doesn't attempt to "candy-coat" or romanticize the experience of Native North Americans, but tells his stories in a very straightforward, and amusing, way. This is still one of my favourite books-I highly recommend the "sequels" as well!