Amazon.com: Short of a Picnic (9780970486899): Eric Shapiro: Books

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

12 brief glimpses into the lives of 12 very different people. Eric Shapiro brings these intriguingly real characters together to provide the briefest of glimpses into living with a mental disorder.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } 12 brief glimpses into the lives of 12 very different people. Eric Shapiro brings these intriguingly real characters together to provide the briefest of glimpses into living with a mental disorder.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...In this well-crafted collection, [Shapiro] beautifully reminds us of those whom we cavalierly label as mentally ill..." -- Dan Stradford, President of AlternativeMentalHealth.com

"At their best, these stories are deeply chilling..." -- Rick Kleffel, The Agony Column

"Combines Raymond Carver's minimalist style with penetrating insights and a mordant wit." -- Bonnie Bucqueroux, The Healers.org

"Frankly, this is the best work of fiction I've ever read about mental illness..." -- Jillian Leslie, Everyday Warriors

"I highly recommend this book and give it a top rating of 10!" -- Dallas Franklin, SWO

"Real-life situations that reveal what it’s like to be different in a society that embraces mainstream thoughts and emotions." -- Linda Denicola, The News Transcript

"Shocking and riveting... a kaleidoscope of delightfully off-beat personalities." -- Brian Benjamin Carter, The Pulse of Oriental Medicine

"The tone [varies] from poignant to downright chilling...[Shapiro has] a flair for realistic dialogue and a good visual sense." -- Roberta Austin, The Compulsive Reader

"This is one of the best books I've read dealing with mental illness." -- Broken Wings & Fallen Angels (Mental Health Newsletter)

"[It's] a fascinating and sometimes scary collection of short stories that can only be applauded and marked a Must Read." -- Laurie Edwards, CultureDose

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Eric Shapiro Page

Eric Shapiro's acclaimed 2005 novella, "It's Only Temporary," was on the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Award in Long Fiction. He directed and produced the motion picture, "Rule of Three" (2010), which had its world premiere at the Fantasia Festival and its U.S. Premiere at Fantastic Fest before being released on DVD and Netflix Instant. In 2010, Permuted Press published an omnibus collection of Eric's three short novels and a handful of selected short stories called "Stories for the End of the World." His newest novel, "The Devoted," is due out soon from Ravenous Shadows.

Eric lives in Los Angeles with his wife and producing partner, Rhoda Jordan, and their son, Benjamin Shapiro.