The State We're in: Maine Stories

Ann Beattie

The State We're in: Maine Stories
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Scribner Book Company
Country
Published
5 July 2016
Pages
224
ISBN
9781501111372

The State We’re in: Maine Stories

Ann Beattie

Ann Beattie at her most magnificent…Her first new collection in ten years…These tales explore the range of emotional states the author is famous for: longing, disaffection, ambivalence, love, regret. It’s nice to hear her voice again (People). A peerless, contemplative page-turner (Vanity Fair), The State We’re In is about how we live in the places we have chosen–or been chosen by. It’s about the stories we tell our families, our friends, and ourselves, the truths we may or may not see, how our affinities unite or repel us, and where we look for love.

Many of these stories are set in Maine, but The State We’re In is about more than geographical location. Some characters have arrived in Maine by accident, others are trying to escape. The collection is woven around Jocelyn, a wry, disaffected teenager living with her aunt and uncle while attending summer school. As in life, the narratives of other characters interrupt Jocelyn’s, sometimes challenging, sometimes embellishing her view.

Ann Beattie slips into a short story as flawlessly as Audrey Hepburn wore a Givenchy gown: an iconic presentation, each line and fold falling into place but allowing room for surprise (O, The Oprah Magazine). Splendid…memorable…every page…fitted out with the blessed finery of hypnotic storytelling (The Washington Post), these stories describe a state of mind, a manner of being. The State We’re In explores, through women’s voices, the unexpected moments and glancing epiphanies of daily life.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 2 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.