Happy book birthday to GREAT ADVENTURES FOR THE FAINT OF HEART by Cary Fagan, out today from Freehand Books!
“Enchanting short stories of astonishing breadth.” – Publishers Weekly
“Endearingly human. There is humour in these stories, pathos, and great yarn telling. Remarkable narrative gifts.” – Toronto Star
“A natural storyteller.” – Quill & Quire
“A reminder of what the sinews of short fiction are all about.” – National Post
“Each story contains the emotional resonance of a novel. The best of what short fiction can do.” – Event
These ten compelling and delightful stories highlight ordinary people, introverts, mostly living quiet lives — until they take the chance to leap toward small, meaningful adventure. A young woman is given a painting by Picasso by her stepfather, and she must acquire a wall to hang it on. A hippie family picks up a cello-playing hitchhiker who convinces them to get a television. And a man winds up taking his girlfriend’s son on a road trip — an unexpected expedition for them both.
Filled with a sense of hope, these stories explore the tangled bonds of family and the complex web that holds them together. Cary Fagan is an undisputed master of the short story, and Great Adventures for the Faint of Heart is a brilliant and warm collection that expands our acceptance of human frailty and our unpredictable capacity for change.
Cary Fagan is the author of six novels and four story collections for adults, as well as many award-winning books for children. His books include The Student (finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Toronto Book Prize), A Bird?s Eye (finalist for the Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize), and the story collection My Life Among the Apes (longlisted for the Giller Prize). Cary was born and raised in Toronto, where he lives with his family. Cary is represented by Samantha Haywood.