The Cage Keeper, and Other Stories
- Author Andre Dubus
- Narrator Andre Dubus
- Publisher Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date 15 July 2013
- Run Time 6 hours and 8 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Fiction: general and literary, Short stories.
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What to expect
Passion and betrayal, violent desperation, ambivalent love that hinges on hatred, and the quest for acceptance by those who stand on the edge of society—these are the hard-hitting themes of a stunningly crafted first collection of stories by the bestselling author of House of Sand and Fog.
In the title story, a vigilant young man working in a halfway house finds himself unable to defend against the rage of one of the inmates. In "White Trees, Hammer Moon," a man soon to leave home for prison finds himself as unprepared for a family camping trip in the mountains of New Hampshire as he has been for most things in his life. And in "Forky," an ex-con is haunted by the punishment he receives just as he is being released into the world.
With an incisive ability to inhabit the lives of his characters, Dubus travels deep into the heart of the elusive American dream.
Critics Review
“[Dubus has] a talent for delineating the
everyday pathos of obscure, unglamorous lives.”
“Touching and real…Insightful…Dubus
masterfully captures the psychology of abuse.”
“Powerful…Richly original.”
“Powerful…[Dubus has] a keen eye for observing
people on the edge.”
“[An] insightful exploration of the nature of
violence.”
“In his first collection, Dubus displays a firm
grasp of the requirements of satisfying short fiction and a wide-ranging eye
tightly focused on the telling detail…Often violent, given to drink, vulnerable
to sexual desire, Dubus’ characters are equally capable of compassion and love.
No unessential information diminishes the impact of these stories, but what
does matter—to both characters and readers—is grippingly and generously
portrayed.”
“Trigger-tight, gritty, and sensitive…Dubus
delivers these timely yet timeless stories with compassion.”
“This author takes risks…The risks pay off…Jolt[s] readers into contemplating the nature of evil.”
“The Cage Keeper, and Other Stories is
a wondrous debut by a fresh and bold young writer. But Andre Dubus III writes
with the wisdom of age: sorrow and compassion are the marrow of these tough, delicate,
utterly human stories…His renderings of the natural world are fierce and fine.
These pages of sharp, unsentimental prose echo with laud and keening, for all
we perpetuate and crave, for all we must endure.”
“These are terrific stories, rich in drama,
tough and unsparing in their exploration of the last mile in the human journey.
There is a burden to these stories, a sense of the terrible weight borne by
characters who have traveled too long and too far. Too many betrayals, too many
lost loves, too many drinks along the way. Here, in this superb collection, we
encounter people who are approaching collapse, who must either break or find
new stamina and new courage. Though this is a first book, Andre Dubus III
displays both the skills and the seriousness of intent of a mature
storyteller.”
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