The Graybar Hotel: Stories
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.65 (662 Votes) |
| Asin | : | B01MFEYDAJ |
| Format Type | : | |
| Number of Pages | : | 383 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-07-21 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
He’s an extraordinary writer with a knack for metaphor, and this is a powerful compilation of stories that gives voice to the experience of perhaps the most overlooked members of our society.. Dawkins takes readers beyond the cells into characters’ pasts and memories and desires, into the unusual bonds that form during incarceration and the strained relationships with family members on the outside. His characters are nuanced and sympathetic, despite their obvious flaws.The Graybar Hotel tells moving, human stories about men enduring impossible circumstances. In “Leche Quemada,” an inmate is released and finds freedom more complex and baffling then he expected. Dawkins’s stories are funny and sad, filled with unforgettable detail—the barter system based on calligraphy-ink tattoos, handmade cards, and cigarettes; a single dandelion smuggled in from the rec yard; candy made from powdered milk, water, sugar, and hot sauce. Dawkins reveals the idiosyncrasies, tedium, and desperation of long-term incarceration—he describes men who struggle to keep their souls alive despite the challenges they face. In “573543,” an inmate recalls his descent into addiction as his prison softball team gears up for an annual tournament against another unit. In this stunning debut collection, Curtis Dawkins, an MFA gradua
"Really enjoyed!" according to Arnita. Enjoyed reading the stories. Curtis has a wonderful way of relaying his message. Whether the stories are real, we can only imagine the different characters that are mentioned in the stories. Can't wait for another book by Curtis Dawkins!. I hope he writes more books he is really good at it This book is very well written and quite intriguing. When I finished I looked to see if I could find anythingelse he has written. I hope he writes more books he is really good at it! Way to go curtis Dawkins, thanks for a great read!. "Doesn't hold my interest." according to m.carlota mandes. Boring, and rambling. Need more purpose or excitement to keep wanting to read.
. He has three children with his partner, Kim, who is a writing professor living in Portland, Oregon. Curtis Dawkins grew up in rural Illinois and earned an MFA in fiction writing at Western Michigan University. Since late 2005, he’s served a life sentence with no possibility of parole in various prisons throughout Michigan. He has struggled with alcohol and substance abuse through most of his life a
These brilliantly crafted stories – with their formal inventiveness, savory dialogue, meticulous detail, and succinctly compassionate portraiture – are as much a manual in how to write original short fiction as in how to think about prisons. In many cases, these outsiders are, like Dawkins himself, artists.—Atticus Lish, author of Preparation for the Next Life“The Graybar Hotel is unlike any other short story collection I’ve ever read. Dawkins’ cast of characters are forever longing for escape—escape from prison, escape from their past, escape from freedom, even. And when the escape is successful, when one reality is traded for another, Dawkins’ characters find themselves lost, even pini