Customer Reviews

Imagine a Woman: and Other Tales

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I read "Imagine a Woman" ten years ago. Its stories still haunt me today. I find myself pondering "Poe's Lighthouse" and "Linder Man" at the strangest times. Seltzer brings a depth of humanity and emotion to his stories that I am powerless to describe. Each story is so very original, so very intimate. I cannot recommend this collection highly enough. Read it. You won't regret it.

This series of short stories literally sparkle and overflow with emotion, yet the writing is tempered, measured and always intelligent. What I liked best were the quirky plots and the still quirkier people. But quirky should not imply "funny" - these tales contain sadness, depth and heartbreak. "Lindow Man" is one of the best - an archeologist is studying a recovered body from the bogs, a prehistoric man, when he meets his future wife. Upon marriage she becomes ill and dies. He is drawn to the bog and attempts suicide only to choose life at the last moment. "Pipistrel" is also a tour de force. A boy who has sonar abilities (like a bat) enters a cave and his mother goes in after him...eerie but satisfying.

There is an art to writing short stories and make them both interesting and "complete". Richard Selzer has perfected this style of writing into an artform. Highly recommended.