Fiction. Gathered here together are 22 of Garrett Socol's finely-crafted stories, by turns darkly humorous and light and zany, and often both at once. The characters populating these stories march slightly out-of-step with the world around them: a dentist, his hygienist, and their illicit flossing, a writer who publishes her own suicide handbook, a woman selling baked goods for electroshock therapy. In this collection, Socol brings his wry insight and sensitivity to bear on the madness of contemporary culture, the silliness of everyday life, and illustrates the many ways people, against all odds, keep themselves afloat.

Gathered Here Together

Literature & Fiction

Socol, Garrett

Contemporary

Ampersand Books

With an offbeat sense of humor, Garrett Socol delves into the lives of seemingly ordinary women and the secrets that lurk beneath their pristine surfaces. Whether it's a neglected wife seeking revenge on her cheating husband or a female electrician who deliberately causes power failures or an attorney confronting her childhood rapist thirty years later, each story is charged with vivid language, heartbreaking truth, and a touch of quirky, sometimes macabre humor. The stories range from the deeply unsettling ("Looking For Last Year") to the absurdly humorous ("Island Envy") to everything in between. There's a wonderfully warped yet entirely honest portrayal of the human condition on display. The female protagonists are anxiety-ridden, unpredictable and flawed, but they refuse to give in or give up. In her chaotic universe, each woman faces challenges that are fierce, funny and often traumatic. And yes, you'll find a couple of male protagonists along for the ride, too.

The Unexpected Aneurysm of the Potato Blossom Queen

Short Stories & Anthologies

Atmosphere Press

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Books by Socol, Garrett