A stunning collection of stories (his first) by Salman Rushdie
Rushdie's collection of nine highly postmodern stories probes the differences and connections between East and West, celebrating the hybrid nature of contemporary identity. (Jan.)
The storied Rushdie (The Satanic Verses, LJ 12/88) provides nine stories, in groups of three, under the categories of "East," "West," and "East, West." Although these geographical headers do predict setting, theme, ethnicity, ethos, etc., the arrangement is much less satisfying than the stories themselves. Ironic, wry, and observant, this collection moves seamlessly from the simple O. Henry-ish "Good Advice Is Rarer than Rubies" to the complicated "The Courter," with its Four Seasons' song lyrics, coming-of-age theme, and crazy old porter, "Mixed-up," who turns out to be a chess Grand Master. The centerpiece may be "Yorick," a brilliant sendup of/tribute to Sterne, using the titular character's reference points in both Hamlet and Tristram Shandy; this story alone is worth the price of admission. For most collections, both academic and public. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/94.]-Robert E. Brown, Onondaga Cty. P.L., Syracuse, N.Y.
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