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Published Oct 2018
208 pages
Genre: Short Stories
Publication Information
An exquisite new collection of short stories from award-winning author Simon Van Booy.
Over the past decade, Simon Van Booy has been listening to people's stories. With these personal accounts as a starting point, he has crafted a powerful collection of short fiction that takes readers into the innermost lives of everyday people. From a family saved from ruin by a mysterious benefactor, to a downtrodden boxer who shows unexpected kindness to a mugger, these masterfully written tales reveal not only the precarious balance maintained between grief and happiness in our lives, but also how the echoes of personal tragedy can shape us for the better.
"Van Booy succeeds more often than he falters, making this a vivid collection. Fans of heartfelt stories with a hint of science fiction will find much to enjoy." - Publishers Weekly
"[Van Booy's] latest collection is full of surprises… some stories are grounded in realism, but others contain elements of magic." - Booklist
"Winner of the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award for Love Begins in Winter, Van Booy was often inspired here by stories people told him, so the sparkle is nicely balanced by a conversational, down-to-earth tone with broad appeal." - Library Journal
"A slim collection featuring tales of loneliness and longing based, largely, on real people." - Kirkus
This information about The Sadness of Beautiful Things was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Ken Browar
Simon Van Booy was born in Great Britain and grew up in rural Wales. He is the author ofThe Secret Lives of People in Love, Love Begins in Winter (winner of the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award) and the novel, Everything Beautiful Began After. His latest novel is The Illusion of Separateness.
He is the editor of three philosophy books, titled Why We Fight, Why We Need Love, and Why Our Decisions Don't Matter. His essays have appeared in the New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, and ELLE Men, (China), where he has a monthly column. He has also written for the stage, National Public Radio, and the BBC.
Simon teaches part-time at SVA in Manhattan, and is ...
... Full Biography
Link to Simon Van Booy's Website
Name Pronunciation
Simon Van Booy: van boo-ee
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