American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fiction, Short Story

Tournament of Short Stories: Patrick Ryan’s “The Dream Life of Astronauts” vs. Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”

Raymond Carver wins! Patrick Ryan beat out Randall Jarrell’s Book of Stories in the semifinal round, but I don’t think anyone in the English-speaking world could have done better than the final three stories in Raymond Carver’s collection Cathedral. For the last couple of years I have been reading short stories from different authors in competition with each other, a tournament of short stories sort of thing. … Continue reading Tournament of Short Stories: Patrick Ryan’s “The Dream Life of Astronauts” vs. Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”

james b chesterJanuary 4, 2017

American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fiction, Short Story

Tournament of Short Stories II: Charles Chesnutt vs. Patrick Ryan

Yesterday, I came up for air after falling into a Trump/Clinton news coverage hole where I’d lain for several days alternating between stunned staring at the television and borderline hysterical laughter long enough to spend a couple of hours reading. Since the last book I read was basically over my head, I decided to go for a more straightforward detective story. Sun And Shadow by Ake … Continue reading Tournament of Short Stories II: Charles Chesnutt vs. Patrick Ryan

james b chesterAugust 5, 2016August 5, 20162 Comments

Ramble

Patrick Ryan Meets C.B. James

Patrick Ryan is the author of a terrific first novel called Send Me. He also writes young adult fiction under the name P.E. Ryan. His first YA novel is Saints of Augustine. I’ll be listing it as one of my favorite reads for 2008 later this month. Both novels deal with families in crisis and take place in Florida. I can highly recommend each one. … Continue reading Patrick Ryan Meets C.B. James

james b chesterApril 5, 2014April 5, 2014

American Fiction, Fiction, LGBT, Novel

Send Me by Patrick Ryan

Send Me by Patrick Ryan is the story of a family under duress. The matriarch, Teresa Kerrigan is in over her head. Her first husband leaves her with two children, a son Matt and a daughter Karen. Her second husband eventually walks out on her as well, leaving two children of his own, Joe and Frankie. The deck is stacked against Teresa as her four … Continue reading Send Me by Patrick Ryan

james b chesterApril 4, 2014April 4, 2014