Telling stories

Eight stories are included in this collection of short fiction. Although each is unique, all share similar qualities, among them a questioning of human relationships (particularly between men and women), and an exploration of the connections between religion and sexuality. There is an essence of the Southern Gothic in these tales, what with the many timeless settings, grotesque images, and unexpected turns of event. "Telling a Story" sets up the collection by reinforcing the fact that these stories are only fiction; "Chopin's Grave" follows a young couple on a trip to the Pere Lachaise in Paris; "What I Call My Albatross Story" is a dialogue from an undereducated but wily narrator trying to justify adultery and infanticide; mid-life crises coincide and a couple tries to reconnect by extreme measures in "Accidents"; a new father in "The Human Animal" questions bringing another child into the world; in "Propulsion," a father and daughter discuss marriage and the consequences of her leaving her husband as her dad drives her to the airport; "Unnoticed" is mainly the interior monologue of a woman who finds herself attracted to a co-worker when he compliments her new haircut; and "Nights with De Niro: A Fantasy in Two Parts" is a story exploring the differing rules for famous people, the gray areas of adultery, and the relationship of the author to the narrator.