After the Plague: Stories

Rating:
Summary: Another Excellent Anthology
Review: I admire T.C. Boyle's short stories very much and appreciate his irony and the skewed world view he illustrates so well in his fiction. The quality of the stories in this collection did not disappoint me; however, I was disappointed to see at least two stories ("Mexico" and "The Love of My Life") that I had already read in previous versions of his works. But no matter; whether you are new to Boyle or a seasoned reader like me, if you are ready to take an off-centered look at the world, dive into Boyle. I think you'll really enjoy the trip.

Rating:
Summary: A Worthy Collection -- Don't Miss It!
Review: I'm more familiar with Boyle's silly Victorian epics, like The Road to Wellville and Riven Rock, so it was a surprise to me to see him writing short stories set in the present day. Still, the stories show a degree of thematic unity. "Termination Dust" is about a lonely Alaskan man driven insane with rage when the object of his affections is stolen away by a womanizing amputee. In "Killing Babies," an ex-con and recovering addict tries to clean up by working at his brother's abortion clinic, only to snap and bludgeon several protestors to death. "Mexico" tells the story of a timid, pudgy man who wins a vacation to Mexico but confines himself to the hotel bar. He puts the moves on a (...) female boxer, but loses all respect in her eyes when he gets mugged on the beach in front of her and fails to defend himself; incensed at his crappy luck, he gets roaring drunk and returns to the beach to tear the head off the first shady native he sees. "Death of the Cool" is the tale of a musical has-been who turns a gun on a burglar for mocking his failed career. By way of variety, the violent protagonist of "Friendly Skies" is a woman, who leaps on an obnoxious passenger and stabs him repeatedly in the face with a fork. The invariably violent climax to these stories swiftly becomes tiresome and difficult to believe, nor does it reveal any particularly profound truths about the men and women depicted.

This is not to say there aren't some really good stories here, too. "The Love of My Life" is a cynical tale of the swift death of puppy love in the face of adversity. Two infatuated teens screw up and pay dearly, and learn just how much young love means (answer: not much) when the going gets rough. By contrast, "Rust" tells about the slow, agonizing death of an old couple after a backyard accident. Once passionate lovers who left their spouses to be with each other, they've outlived their love and fallen into infirmity and alcohol-soaked routine. "Going Down" is not terribly interesting in itself, but is a meta-story containing a fascinating pretend novel that I really, really wish existed. Reading during a snowstorm, the protagonist becomes so absorbed in the novel that he fails to notice his wife's absence, and when the cops show up at his door, he begs for them to wait until he can finish his book. The eponymous "After the Plague" is a post-apocalyptic love story whose cheery ending contrasts oddly, but refreshingly, with the other, infinitely grimmer pieces.

(...).Plague is an inventive and entertaining collection of stories. Check it out! (...)

Rating:
Summary: Boyle does it again!
Review: Mr. Boyle has been one of my favorite authors for many years and this collection further strengthens my belief that he's one of the most important and clever writers at work today, including both the novel and short story form. This book picks up where the Collected Stories left off and doesn't miss a beat. His wit and creative juices have never been more prevalent than in these stories that first appeared in the New Yorker, GQ, and Playboy, among others. They range from a post-apocalyptic setting to the outskirts of civilization in Alaska, and Boyle's sharp satire and utterly engaging characters link all of the stories. Easily one of the best books of the year.