Paradise Dance (Paperback)

by Michael Lee (Author), James Carroll (Introduction) "The town of Albright, Massachusetts takes its character from where it is-on the margins-and from what it was-a place built around a working mill..." (more)
Key Phrases: The Alley, Albright High, Paradise Theater (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Lee makes an impressive debut in this collection, following in the stylistic footsteps of Andre Dubus and Raymond Carver, as he explores the fictional Boston suburb of Albright. He pays homage to his mentors early on, particularly in the opening story, "Glory," in which a man goes to a bar with his father and ends up in an arm-wrestling match, the implications of which go beyond the beating of his opponent. Military themes also surface early, as in the complex "Koza Nights," which outlines the postwar fate of a soldier who killed a prostitute in Vietnam and finds himself being blackmailed by a down-and-out fellow Marine. "Secrets of Cooperstown" follows a couple to a military reunion, where the wife is confronted with a disturbing revelation about her husband. Lee's lighter side surfaces in "The Albright Kid," a charming yarn about a boy who encounters Ted Williams at a baseball camp, and also in "Another Wonder of the World," a humorous tale about some bar buddies who try to start an X-rated miniature golf course. Things turn serious in the title story, which delves into the experience of a teacher who instructs residents of the local rest home in the art of memoir writing. Lee offers a heady blend of compassion, razor-sharp wit and well-honed storytelling skills. His unpublished work has been enjoyed by a select crowd for almost two decades, but this collection is a bid for more general recognition.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Men mostly inhabit Lee's first collection of short fiction. Former Vietnam veterans come to terms with that war's ravages, frustrated writers resist writer's block, and sons seek fleeting connections with fathers. While the abundance of male voices endows the book with a decidedly masculine tone, no readers will succumb to a testosterone overdose. Almost without exception, Lee's characters demonstrate a graceful grit and a sad, but not hopeless, self-awareness about their own unique Achilles' heel. Life in Albright, MA, has taken its toll, but their spirits are resilient, their sense of humor not abandoned. In "Another Wonder of the World," a darkly humorous tale about three friends who build the world's first X-rated miniature golf course, the narrator sums up the characters' collective spirit best when he proclaims, "Don't count us out, America." Until this debut, Lee had been New England's best-kept literary secret, but Leapfrog is to be commended for revealing this strong new voice to American literature aficionados. Strongly recommended. Faye A. Chadwell, Univ. of Oregon, Eugene
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Leapfrog Press; 1 edition (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967952069
• ISBN-13: 978-0967952062
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,900,987 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Answers to Life's Lessons Are in the Moment, February 18, 2003

By	Noreen McGillis (Orleans, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Michael Lee captures the heart's hidden emotions of our day to days most ordinary and mundane interludes. Each and every person
who reads this book will look with new insight into their lives and those closest to them. This collection of short stories is a must read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touchingly Absurd, August 26, 2002

By	John T.Murphy (S. Dennis, MASSACHUSETTS USA) - See all my reviews

Mike Lee's ability to turn a phrase is akin to the joy that newly washed windows bring: sudden clarity to unexpected views.

People come first in Lee's world, and he introduces some beauts and some beauties. From Frankie and Bobby in Oklahoma to "Nola" Bowden, all of his characters express their innermost thoughts whether we're ready or not.

Lee is able to describe feelings many of us have shared in language that is crisp and direct, but applied in circumstances that few, if any, could claim to share. Neither the plight of budding entrepeneurs in the XXX sports market, nor the happiness of an immobile street performer in Paris tickled a neuron of identification with me, but the desperate need to succeed or simply to be the first in one's family to be happy are so fundamental that each of us is able is pick off a piece of such longing to consume and reflect on.

"Paradise Dance" is an eclectic package of disparate characters brought to the edge by a handful of emotions. Where the hell is Albright , Massachusetts anyway?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More, Mr Lee, More!, December 21, 2002

By A Customer

The stories in this collection by Michael Lee come at you with a humor and humanity that to this reader's mind and heart tell the story of American manhood today. These are stories about guys with heart trying hard to preserve their good humor and what dignity a world that could mostly care less allows them. There are no literary posturings here, just literature at its quiet, touching, funny, enjoyable best. This would be a great gift for just about any man between the ages of 25 and 70 -- and for any woman who wants a glimpse of how we tick! The only bad thing about this book is that it ends. More, Mr Lee, more!