Among Prisoners

From mail-order Asian brides to half-naked priests, Frank Manley's vision of contemporary America extends far beyond the boundaries of tradition. In "Among Prisoners," a collection of short stories, Manley's characters are reflections of humor and solemnity, confusion and understanding. Trapped within an irrational world, these characters transcend the standard roles of heroes and heroines. Mary, the housekeeper, struggles to hold onto her newfound happiness, all the while knowing that it may vanish within a brief moment. Mr. Butterfly, an army veteran, repeatedly marries women who can barely speak his language, and is either too cheap or simply too unlucky to divorce them. Margaret Winchell, a lonely widow, seeks to rediscover her girlhood home, opting to bury herself in the past rather than embrace an indefinite future. And following a battle of wills on the courthouse roof, a determined prisoner finds freedom in the face of condemnation. Not all of the characters are likable, and some are downright bizarre. However, Manley deftly structures the stories in such a way that the reader cannot help feeling a certain empathy toward these lost people. One feels almost voyeuristic, as though the conversations in the book were never meant to go beyond the rocking chairs or the worn seats of the municipal bus where they are taking place. Manley's tactics work; the dialogue is comedic in parts, serious in others, and is largely intriguing. "Among Prisoners" is a fast read, but not necessarily an easy one. Not overly concerned with mapping the futures of his characters, Manley leaves much to the imagination. He has created these people he does not claim to fully understand them, and many questions slip by unanswered. Yet this elusiveness is what gives the stories their unconventional appeal, and illuminates Manley's appreciation of the complexities of human nature.