In the Walled City: Stories [Paperback]

Stewart O'Nan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2001

Stewart O'Nan is one of the most highly acclaimed fiction writers of his generation, selected by Granta as one of the Best Young American Novelists and hailed by The New York Times as "a master." Grove Press is proud to issue his award-winning debutIn the Walled Cityin paperback. Winner of the prestigious Drue Heinz Prize in 1993 -- selected by a panel chaired by Tobias Wolff -- O'Nan's collectionIn the Walled Cityfeatures twelve stories that delve into the lives and souls of an astonishing range of characters, from an old Chinese grocer to a young policeman separated from his family and descending into madness. Intimate and generous, these stories brilliantly illuminate the connections that bind us and the obligations and sorrows of love.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (September 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802138543
• ISBN-13: 978-0802138545
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,622,988 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stewart O'Nan's award-winning fiction includes Snow Angels, A Prayer for the Dying, Last Night at the Lobster, and Emily, Alone. Granta named him one of America's Best Young Novelists. He lives in Pittsburgh.

www.stewart-onan.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great stories that take a while to warm to, March 20, 2002

By 

Shadi Mirza "Avid gamer and reader of fantasy... (Yecheon, South Korea) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Walled City (Hardcover)

I absolutely loved O'Nan's "A Prayer for the Dying," so naturally I had to go back to his first book to see where he began. Although I managed to find a copy...

The twelve stories included in this collection are interesting. O'Nan shows a talent for giving us the same story through different perspectives, and his language is beautiful at times, but the collection seems to be a mixed bag. The two stories that I would consider rather weak are "Mr. Wu Thinks" and "The Third of July." It seems in these two stories mainly that O'Nan gives us something but doesn't really lead it into a pleasing direction. I kept wishing these two stories would go somewhere interesting. Both do manage to give us a lot of insight into their characters, but the ten other stories in the collection are superb and do a much better job of delving into the darkness of the human spirit.

I would actively search for this collection of stories. O'Nan almost had a perfect collection of stories on his hand, but even so, the vast majority of these stories are excellent and worth the purchase.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book of Short Stories, December 3, 2011

By 

Dan Bogaty "Mr. Congeniality" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: In the Walled City: Stories (Paperback)

I like short stories, and I think Stewart O'Nan is a great writer. So predictably, I guess, I would rank this collection, IN THE WALLED CITY, among the best I've ever read. O'Nan's writing borders on elegant, and his understanding of the feelings of loss and uncertainty as well as his ability to convey, with a subtle intensity, those feelings through his characters is, in my opinion, unmatched.

Among the twelve stories are "The Third of July" about a widowed lady who, along with her eccentric handy man, both of whom are grieving their own issues, are trying to maintain a worn out golf course; "The Doctor's Sickness" showing the progressive dementia of a physician; and the amazing "Finding Amy" about a little girl lost in the woods in winter, which became the foundation for O'Nan's astounding novel, "SNOW ANGELS".

O'Nan's perfect-pitch ear for the nuances of human sadness is astounding. I can't recommend this book highly enough to those who love short stories.