The Shipping News

The Shipping News

“It was a hard life, but it had the satisfaction. But it was hard. Terrible hard in them old days. You’ll hear stories would turn your hair blue overnight and I’m the boy could tell ‘em. There was some wild, lawless places, a man did what he wanted. Guess you know...
The Kingdom That Failed

The Kingdom That Failed

Just behind the kingdom that failed ran a nice little river. It was a clear, lovely stream, and many fish lived in it. Weeds grew there, too, and the fish ate the weeds. The fish didn’t care whether or not the kingdom had failed, of course. Whether it was a kingdom or...
Eva Luna

Eva Luna

He knelt beside me. “What’s the matter?” “I’m afraid?” “Of what?” “Of the sounds, of this darkness, of evil spirits, of snakes and bugs, of the soldiers, of what we’re going to do Saturday-that we’ll all be killed …” “I’m afraid, too, but I wouldn’t miss this for...
Invisible Man

Invisible Man

“Come in,” I said. The door opened slowly. A group of youth members crowded forward, their faces a question. The girls were crying. “Is it true?” they said. “That he is dead? Yes,” I said, looking among them. “Yes.”...
The Madonna of the Sea

The Madonna of the Sea

There is a Madonna at the bottom of the crystalline waters off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, standing guard near a gap where two rocks curve in an unfinished embrace. Dead leaves and fish float above her like drifting feathers, shimmering in the swatch of sunlight...