by Tom Mitchell
First published 2023
An octogenarian woman faces off against two disobedient Pekinese dogs who refuse to follow her commands. A retired small-town preacher dons colorful pajamas and receives divine instruction to relocate to St. Louis so he can return to movie theaters. A factory worker struggles with suppressed creative impulses that drive him toward dark territory. In the Missouri Ozarks, summer's abundance awakens a young man to his own desires, sending him into feverish dreams. A college student encounters his first glimpse of female sexuality through an unexpected meeting. These seven previously unpublished tales capture characters navigating love's complications and personal awakenings during the 1930s. Williams portrays his eccentric figures with characteristic compassion, revealing their quiet strength amid economic hardship. The stories explore innocence and its limits in Depression-era America.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, american-fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, innocence-and-its-limits
Setting: Missouri, Ozarks, St. Louis
Period: 1930s
112 pages · Paperback · New Directions