Et cetera : What We're Reading: Near Flesh

Feeling the holiday-time reading crunch? Same! This week’s pick is 'Near Flesh,' a powerful collection of 19 short stories by the late Katherine Dunn, author of 'Geek Love.'

The first story, 'Pieces,' is just five pages—yet hits with the weight and intensity of a full novel. Dunn’s writing is gritty, emotional, and brilliantly raw.

Goodreads rating: 3.77

"These nineteen stories are, like Dunn’s entire body of work, attuned to the spit and grit of tough living. They pulse with yearning for a more prosperous life, for sexual satisfaction, to escape abusive husbands and the disappointments of convention. A better life, for these mostly female protagonists, seems always just out of reach. In Near Flesh, Dunn explores the struggle of women to live on their own terms, and the desire to relish—rather than squash—what distinguishes a person." ~Goodreads.com

If you haven’t tried Dunn before, I highly recommend adding her to your winter reading list.

Happy reading, friends.

~Heather