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by Lucia Nevai

Each of the wonderfully daring stories in this collection rings true. Over and over, Nevai's characters--from an urbane ex-hippie in Manhattan to a disabled war veteran in rural Louisiana--miss in their attempts to connect with the people they love most. But, in the midst of all these missed connections, something remarkable (and often very funny) happens.


From the publisher

You won't find storybook families in these twelve wonderfully daring stories by Lucia Nevai. Over and over, Nevai's characters, from an urbane ex-hippie in Manhattan to a disabled war veteran in rural Louisiana, miss in their attempts to connect with the people they love most. But in the midst of all the missed connections, something remarkable (and often very funny) happens. In the tradition of Amy Bloom, Ellen Gilchrist, and Francine Prose, Nevai brings us unforgettable families in twelve versions of "normal" that we can all recognize. "Skewed and shrewd, Ms. Nevai makes a delightful tour guide to the fallout of the nuclear family."--The New York Times Book Review; "A writer of uncommon potency and reach."--Publishers Weekly, starred; "Nevai is a real talent with a ready wit and a steady gaze."--Kirkus Reviews.

From the rear cover

There are no storybook families in these twelve wonderfully daring stories. Here you'll find parents, children, stepchildren, husbands, and wives - all normal families; all unforgettably real. Lucia Nevai's twelve variations on normality place us in the company of characters created by a writer of uncommon talent. These portraits include: "Thanksgiving with Dorrie & Heck", in which a competitive family talent show leads to one teenager's visit to the emergency room; "Close", in which a family therapist en route to her brother's memorial service tries to heal her own fractured family by linking her hands spread across the map in an in-flight magazine; and "Normal", in which a young mother struggles to impress her estranged father with her new life during his first visit to his infant grandson. From an urbane ex-hippie in Manhattan to a disabled war veteran in rural Louisiana, these characters never quite connect with the people they love most - they just don't get it. But, luckily for us, Lucia Nevai does, because in the midst of all the missed connections, something remarkable, and often very funny, happens. She gently strips away her characters' defenses, but never their dignity, showing us what it means to be a family. Nothing in these twelve stories of missed connections is exactly what it seems. But what's unmistakable is that we're in the hands of a remarkable writer - a writer whose graceful and witty portraits of eccentric normality are like pages from a family album that we can all recognize.

Details

  • Title Normal
  • Author Lucia Nevai
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition First Edition
  • Pages 236
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.A.
  • Date 1997-01-04
  • ISBN 9781565121584 / 1565121589
  • Weight 0.64 lbs (0.29 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.31 x 5.31 x 0.88 in (18.57 x 13.49 x 2.24 cm)
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 96047655
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

Citations

  • Booklist, 04/01/1997, Page 1282
  • Kirkus Reviews, 02/15/1997, Page 249
  • Library Journal, 03/01/1997, Page 106
  • New York Times, 05/25/1997, Page 25
  • Publishers Weekly, 02/10/1997, Page 64
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Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1997. BC5 - A tight, clean, sound copy in cream paper covered boards quarter quarter bound in black cloth with red lettering and a graphic on the spine with only very minor overall shelf wear. The dust jacket shows very minor overall shelf wear with some light scattered rubbing plus there is some very light creasing on the back bottom edge. A collection of short stories by a noted writer of the form. The author is a winner of an Iowa Short Fiction Award and the Pen Syndicated Fiction Award. By the author of "Star Game." 217p.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.
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Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1997. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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by Nevai, Lucia

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New York: Algonquin Books, 1997. Book. Near Fine. Hardcover. First Edition. First edition, first printing Book is in Near Fine condition. Boards are clean, not bumped. Fore edges have the tiniest bit of shelf wear. Interior is clean and legible. Not remaindered. Dust Jacket is in Near Fine condition. Not chipped or crinkled. Not price clipped. Dust Jacket is covered by Mylar Brodart. Thanks and Enjoy. All-Ways well boxed, All-Ways fast service..
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U.S.A.: Algonquin Books, 1997. Book. Near Fine. Hardcover. 1ST. Excellent Copy - A First Edition, First Printing. Book Is In Near Fine Condition. Boards Are Clean, Not Bumped. Fore Edges Have The Tiniest Bit Of Shelf Wear. Interior Is Clean And Legible. Not Remaindered. Dust Jacket Is In Near Fine Condition. Not Chipped Or Crinkled. Not Price Clipped. Dust Jacket Is Covered By Mylar Brodart. Thanks And Enjoy..
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