Granta #37

A set of seminal short pieces by a literary who's who of contemporary literature. The stories range far & wide, with all the pain & joy imaginable. I've re-read this over the years, everything in it, completely gob-smacked each time by Mikal Gilmore's revelations about growing up in his Mormon family & enduring the pain of brother & murderer, Gary. His 'Shot in the Heart' is the full account, but this condensed version here is just as awesome. Not all the tales are woeful, but William Wharton's piece on 'Field Burning" is similarily harrowing. If you've read 'Birdy' or 'Dad' you'll have an idea of warton's no-frill writing style that somehow works its way into your own conscience, making the act of reading simultaneously,an act of compassion. Remarkable stuff.

What a great literary read! Granta is good no matter the topic. But Granta's take on the family is superb. Varying degrees of family dysfunction are presented from different perspectives and by different authors. Well worth the read, particularly if you are in the throes of determining your own family patterns. This is definitely a departure from mainstream self-help books.