The Rose City: Stories [Paperback]

David Ebershoff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 2002

Written with understanding and familiarity, these seven stories present characters who are coming into their own as they discover and rediscover themselves. In "Chuck Paa," a young man in flight from his mother seeks and finds employment in an upscale world, which can never quite become his own. The title story, "The Rose City," tells how a shared lost love brings together two friends who reunite to reflect on their past, their present, and what lies ahead. With the same insight and daring of The Danish Girl, The Rose City secures David Ebershoff's reputation as a writer of rare talent and sensitivity.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The characters in David Ebershoff's spare, acid-etched stories are the loners holding down bar stools in the afternoon, the trolls that pretty gay boys learn how to avoid, men on whom fortune never smiled, or smiled only once, so briefly and dazzlingly, that they forever look backward. Often, though, their defining moment is not a happy memory. The protagonist of "The Dress" recounts being trapped in a woman's dress at the age of ten, having knotted the sash too tightly around his naked waist, an incident that cost him his father's love. Roland Dott, the mentally unstable main character of the title story, was rejected by his high school idol after delivering a bathroom blowjob, and consoles himself for forty years with an exaggerated sense of self worth. Much of the poignancy of Ebershoff's vision comes from his positioning of his characters in a hostile and uncomprehending world, rather than in a gay universe of cocktail parties, stylish hair, and flippant rejoinders. These are unconsoling stories, well crafted and hard to forget. --Regina Marler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Much less idyllic than their collective title suggests, most of these seven stories have at least a tenuous connection to Pasadena, Calif. In them, Ebershoff (The Danish Girl) sketches the lives of men and boys who are gay, longing to be gay or otherwise confused about their sexual identities although this is often the least of their worries. Most of the stories have a tragic edge, their protagonists mired in frustrations and obsessions, but Ebershoff capably draws readers into their lives. In "The Charm Bracelet," a young man on the verge of becoming a hustler is on his way home from a gay bar where he was the center of attention. He glimpses his future in an over-the-hill female prostitute on the run from an abusive relationship, but he treats her callously and is oblivious to the implications of the evening. "Regime" deals with Jon, an overweight, inexperienced gay teenager who believes he is taking control of his life by starving himself: "For the first time in my life, I have figured out how to draw a boy's interest." The insights into Jon's thought patterns are startling and disturbing, rendered with chilling precision. The title story is concerned with Roland Dott, a middle-aged, narcissistic, promiscuous snob (he was born in Pasadena and looks down on anyone who was not, referring to them as "trannies," or transplants). Far past his prime, he flirts outrageously and sadly, still dreaming of finding a happy ending with the perfect partner. Those craving inspirational or upbeat stories of queer empowerment should look elsewhere, but Ebershoff delivers a bouquet of vivid, hard-edged characters plagued by all-too-human frailties. Agent, Elaine Koster.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (April 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142000817
• ISBN-13: 978-0142000816
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,857,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Ebershoff is the author of four books of fiction, including The Danish Girl, The Rose City, and Pasadena. His most recent novel is the international bestseller, The 19th Wife. His writing has won a number of awards, including the Rosenthal Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Lambda Literary Award. His books have been translated into eighteen languages to critical acclaim. Two of his novels are being adapted for film and television. Ebershoff teaches in the graduate writing program at Columbia University and is an editor-at-large at Random House. Originally from Pasadena, California, he now lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Insider's Understanding, September 7, 2001

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rose City and Other Stories (Hardcover)

David Ebershoff is one of the more exciting new writers of fiction on the scene today. In his latest book of stories he proves that not only does he write well, but he also has that rare ability to create characters so real that we can swear that we've met them. And this is all the more unusual in that the people he creates are far from heroic. They represent that part in all of us that just borders on malfunctional, traits that if pushed further would be gross fodder for the mental hospital. And yet he makes us care for them....passionately.

Ebershoff also firmly understands Pasadena, California - a strange place watched by millions on January 1 each year as a haven for beautiful flowers, purple mountains, palm trees, and terribly affluent people. Without resorting to disdain Ebershoff lets us get to know these sequestered relics from another time who refuse to move out of their historic importance into reality. He takes on the guise of the very young, the aging closeted divas, the used up street walkers and wanabe sex toys, and with each narrator voice he seems to be intuitively right on target. This is a superb collection of stories from a writer who merits our close attention. His next novel will be eagerly awaited by a growing devoted readership.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional reading and thought provoking, December 12, 2002

By 

Thomas Ligotti Reader (Somewhere, on earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rose City and Other Stories (Hardcover)

While reading these David Ebershoff's short stories I kept turning to the back of the book to see his photograph. He reminds me of the boy-next-door and his innocent eyes and slight smile grabs you -- and his short stories are anything less than innocent. Where on earth did Mr. Ebershoff come up with these wonderful gems? They're brilliant! Seven short stories -- seven different themes totally. Readers who want crisp, tight reading will find The Rose City compelling and difficult to sit down. I don't describe plots in my reviews, but anyone who wishes gay-themed short stories that go beyond sex and looking good is in for a major treat. I highly recommend The Rose City. So much in fact I'm giving it a second read immediately. If I could rate the book higher than a 5, I would.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Collection of Short Stories Courtesy Of Ebershoff, June 26, 2002

By 

John Kwok (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rose City: Stories (Paperback)

David Ebershoff cements his reputation as one of the most exciting writers of my generation in this elegant collection of short stories dealing with relationships from the perspective of a gay lifestyle. He writes with much grace and understanding, offering sympathetic portrayals of gay characters ranging in age from ten to forty eight. It's one of the best recent collection of short stories I've read, rising close in stature to Rick Moody's "Demonology". Having enjoyed both "The Danish Girl" and now, "The Rose City", I eagerly await reading Ebershoff's next novel.