Forgetting English [Paperback]

Midge Raymond (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 2011

In this new, expanded edition of her prize-winning collection, Midge Raymond explores the indelible imprint of home upon the self and the ways in which new frontiers both defy and confirm who we are. Including new stories, Forgetting English takes us around the world, from the stark, icy moonscape of Antarctica to the lonely islands of the South Pacific, introducing us to characters who have abandoned their native landscapes only to find that, once separated from the ordinary, they must confront new interpretations of who they are, and who they are meant to be.

"Raymond's prose often lights up the poetry-circuits of the brain, less because of lyrical language and more due to things that work as both literal and symbolic nouns: stolen rings, voice-mail messages gone astray, heavy-footed humans in the middle of fragile habitats." -- The Seattle Times

"All of her stories are heartbreakingly honest ... I wouldn't be surprised if she started getting compared to Alice Munro or Jhumpa Lahiri." -- The Seattle Books Examiner

"Raymond's style of writing is engaging, her locations exotic, her endings are often resonant and deftly written, and what her stories express about travel and exploration is honest and forthright." -- The Short Review

"Raymond has quiet, unrelenting control over the writing; each story is compelling and thrives because each detail and line of dialogue reveals just a little more about the characters and the evocative settings."  -- The Rumpus

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Midge Raymond's short-story collection, Forgetting English, received the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction. Her stories have appeared in TriQuarterly, American Literary Review, Indiana Review, North American Review, Bellevue Literary Review, the Los Angeles Times magazine, and many other publications. Her work has been nominated for three Pushcart Prizes and received an Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship.

Midge taught communication writing at Boston University for six years, and she has taught creative writing at Boston's Grub Street Writers and Seattle's Richard Hugo House. While living in Southern California, she held writing workshops and seminars at San Diego Writers, Ink, where she also served as vice president of the board of directors.

Midge lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her online at MidgeRaymond.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: Press 53 (March 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935708384
• ISBN-13: 978-1935708384
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.4 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #820,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Midge Raymond's short-story collection, Forgetting English, received the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction. Originally published by Eastern Washington University, the book has been reissued in an expanded edition by Press 53. Midge is also the author of Everyday Writing: Tips and Prompts to Fit Your Regularly Scheduled Life.

Midge's stories have appeared in TriQuarterly, Redivider, Bellingham Review, American Literary Review, Indiana Review, North American Review, Bellevue Literary Review, the Los Angeles Times magazine, and many other publications. Her work has been nominated for several Pushcart Prizes and received an Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship.

Midge taught communication writing at Boston University for six years, and she has taught creative writing at Boston's Grub Street Writers and Seattle's Richard Hugo House. While living in Southern California, she held writing workshops and seminars at San Diego Writers, Ink, where she also served as vice president of the board of directors.

Midge lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her online at www.MidgeRaymond.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What Every Reader Wants April 14, 2011

By Melinda Haldeman

Format:Paperback

Through Midge Raymond's stories, I was transported to many exotic locations from the South Pacific to Antarctica. Her vivid descriptions of landscapes literally immersed me physically. I met characters so real they moved off the page and into my life. If this sounds a little like literary wizardry, it just might be. To lose oneself in another reality, to experience other worlds--isn't this why we read?

In these finely crafted short stories, Raymond exposes her characters' deepest yearnings and the emotional push and pull that results. She is a master storyteller--her delicious prose, a feast for the reader. I wait impatiently for her next book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for book clubs April 12, 2011

By Janna Cawrse Esarey

Format:Paperback

As a mother of two young girls, I rarely find long stretches of time to read, so I've really been enjoying short story collections. My favorite recent read is Midge Raymond's collection, Forgetting English. It won the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction, and I understand why. Besides the lyrical language and lovely use of metaphor, I was drawn completely into the characters' lives. These are women, in varying moments of crisis or crossroads, whom you'd like to have coffee with, or comfort, or give a stern talking to. And, for me, the underlying theme of the book hit home: What's lost and what's found when we travel the world? How does being somewhere foreign both take us away from ourselves and bring us closer to our true selves? These stories are little gems and, put together, they give the reader a cohesive journey to savor. I highly recommend Forgetting English. Great fodder for book club conversations, too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An addictive read April 11, 2011

By K. M. Cornelia

Format:Paperback

Midge Raymond's "Forgetting English" draws us into the lives of people who, despite their world travels, find themselves confronted with dilemmas foreign countries cannot erase but, instead, force them into the vortex of their inner demons.
Her fluid prose and poignant character depiction carried me rapidly through each story piquing my interest for the next one. Her characters live on long after the final page has been turned leaving one yearning for the next collection.

If you are a Jhumpa Lahiri fan, this book is for you.