Stories - by Neil Gaiman & Al Sarrantonio

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This astonishing collection of all-new tales by some of the most acclaimed writers at work today is called, simply, Stories. Edited by Neil Gaiman (Sandman, The Graveyard Book, Anansi Boys, Coraline) and Al Sarrantonio (award-winning author of forty books and editor of numerous collections), Stories presents never before published short works from a veritable Who's Who of contemporary literature--breathtaking inventions from the likes of Lawrence Block, Roddy Doyle, Joanne Harris, Joe Hill, Walter Mosley, Joyce Carol Oates, Stewart O'Nan, Chuck Palahniuk, Carolyn Parkhurst, Jodi Picoult, Peter Straub...and, of course, the inimitable Neil Gaiman himself.

From the Back Cover

"The joy of fiction is the joy of the imagination. . . ."

The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more--to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal.

Stories is a groundbreaking anthology that reinvigorates, expands, and redefines the limits of imaginative fiction and affords some of the best writers in the world--from Peter Straub and Chuck Palahniuk to Roddy Doyle and Diana Wynne Jones, Stewart O'Nan and Joyce Carol Oates to Walter Mosley and Jodi Picoult--the opportunity to work together, defend their craft, and realign misconceptions. Gaiman, a literary magician whose acclaimed work defies easy categorization and transcends all boundaries, and "master anthologist" (Booklist) Sarrantonio personally invited, read, and selected all the stories in this collection, and their standard for this "new literature of the imagination" is high. "We wanted to read stories that used a lightning-flash of magic as a way of showing us something we have already seen a thousand times as if we have never seen it at all."

Joe Hill boldly aligns theme and form in his disturbing tale of a man's descent into evil in "Devil on the Staircase." In "Catch and Release," Lawrence Block tells of a seasoned fisherman with a talent for catching a bite of another sort. Carolyn Parkhurst adds a dark twist to sibling rivalry in "Unwell." Joanne Harris weaves a tale of ancient gods in modern New York in "Wildfire in Manhattan." Vengeance is the heart of Richard Adams's "The Knife." Jeffery Deaver introduces a dedicated psychologist whose mission in life is to save people in "The Therapist." A chilling punishment befitting an unspeakable crime is at the dark heart of Neil Gaiman's novelette "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains."

As it transforms your view of the world, this brilliant and visionary volume--sure to become a classic--will ignite a new appreciation for the limitless realm of exceptional fiction.

Review Quotes

"Stories is the perfect dark counterbalance to the smells of suntan lotion and barbecue smoke waiting for you this summer." -- Los Angeles Times

"These stories are part of what Gaiman and Sarrantonio call "a new literature of the imagination," a rewardingly imprecise theme that guarantees that no matter how many times you dip into this tomish treasure chest, there will always be something surprising waiting for you inside." -- www.veryshortlist.com on STORIES

"If you can't find something to like from [Stories] roster, you really need a vacation." -- St. Petersburg Times

"A sometimes creepy, dark and dreamlike two thumbs up." -- Time Out New York

"An ambitious anthology with a pleasing mix of modes and moods. Stories has a little something for everyone who appreciates the possibilities of short fiction." -- San Francisco Chronicle