Título: You Are Not a Stranger Here
Autor: Adam Haslett
Sinopse: his debut story collection, You Are Not a Stranger Here, Adam Haslett drags into the light subjects often left in the cellar. Most of his stories are told from the viewpoint of the mentally ill (though one, "The Good Doctor," shows us madness from a caregiver's perspective). The rest of the stories deal with closeted homosexuality: boys who are just learning their identity, men who have never come to terms with it. Haslett is an enormously compassionate writer, and shows a lovely, plain-written acuity about his people. His writing is a convincing inside job--he never romanticizes or oversimplifies. In "The Volunteer," an old woman at a care facility is haunted by the voice of an ancestress named Hester: "For more than two decades, Elizabeth Maynard has done exactly as she is told and the voice of Hester, which has cost her so much, comes only quietly and intermittently. It is a negative sort of achievement, she thinks, to have spent a life warding something off." Haslett has a gift for writing quietly about sensational topics: men cruising each other in the park at night; an abusive, self-hating relationship between two adolescent boys. The stories can get a bit too fancy: the writer can't resist the ironic twist or the surprise ending. Still, this is a beautifully written collection that's as heartfelt as it is intelligent. --Claire Dederer --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Contexto da obra
Quando a classificação é mais ampla, o contexto do livro costuma depender ainda mais de autoria, tema e edição. “You Are Not a Stranger Here”, de Adam Haslett, publicado pela editora Anchor, em 2003 e com 256 páginas, integra a categoria Livros Variados. Por isso, autoria, edição e tema acabam tendo ainda mais peso na forma de apresentar o livro.
Editora: Anchor
Páginas: 256
Ano: 2003
Edição:
Linguagem: inglês
ISBN: 0385720726
ISBN13: 9780385720724
Sobre a editora
Os livros da editora Anchor apresentam uma leitura marcada pela diversidade de temas e estilos, onde o cotidiano se mistura a questões profundas e narrativas que oscilam entre o humor irônico e o drama sensível. As histórias frequentemente exploram relações familiares complexas, dilemas pessoais e transformações internas, com personagens que enfrentam conflitos contemporâneos em ambientes urbanos ou históricos. A linguagem tende a ser acessível, mas com nuances que revelam camadas emocionais e sociais, convidando o leitor a refletir sobre identidades, escolhas e o impacto do passado no presente.
