Review
Edgar Allan Poe defined the short story as a piece of literature that should be able to be read in a single - yet relatively long and leisurely - sitting. Contemporary short stories have recently been shifting toward a shorter format than what Poe outlined in the nineteenth century. Trends like "short short stories" and "flash fiction" are made for busy, fast-moving readers. In some ways, Alice Munro's stories, which move at a leisurely pace, at times seemingly unconcerned with plot, harken back to Poe's longer, classic style of short fiction. Each one asks that the reader slow down and absorb every word, lest one miss a key motion or detail that advances the subtle narratives.
Dear Life, Munro's latest collection, explores the relentless passing of time and its influence on parents, children, and lovers. In "Train," which is almost startling with its power, a young...
Beyond the Book
Alice Munro was born in Wingham, Ontario, a small town that is close to the shores of Lake Huron. This region of southern Ontario is west of Toronto and east of Michigan, and includes the industrial cities of London and Windsor, though much of the land is countryside. While Munro did occasionally live in Vancouver, most of her life has been spent in Ontario: she attended Western Ontario University and now lives in Clinton, a small town just down the road from...
