Running Away with Alice Munro

After weeks of taking the bus now in this gorgeous weather, it has been my easy decision to take the slow bus over the B-Line every time just to get some more reading in. I completed Alice Munro's Runaway, a short story collection that had me blown away by the end of the first story. I could not put this down. There is something about a short story collection now in my busy life that I feel like I able to complete something. But my fear of short stories came true - each one came to a very quick end - Munro's stories each could have been made into novels. She has a brillant way of developing a character in a paragraph so you feel like you're in their lives.

The first Runaway, invoked a sense of hopelessness - a woman's life that is controlled by her husband, and her failure to take opportunities...heartwrenching.

Chance, Soon, and Silence are of this one character, Juliet, and how she moves through life with guilt, dealing with a doting father, a listless sick mother, and soon a daughter who disappears surprisingly by choice by whom she grieves for years. It`s hard on the bus to have your facial expressions remain neutral as you read this. You feel everything that the protaganist feels.

Passions I have read before, I have no idea where, but not one of these that I am thrilled about to mention.

Tricks was my favorite, but the most heart-wrenching - a story of unrequited love and how life really isn`t fair. I was very stressed after reading this story, I was sick to my stomach. Nevertheless, my favorite.

Trespasses is a story of a girl and an overly friendly waitress. The girl is someone I want my daughter to be - smart, sure, intellectual, and independant.

Powers, a story about advantage, the past cruelty to the mentally ill, and distracted friendship.

By far a great book, should be read by all.

I am now working on Dreamer`s of the Day, by Marie Doria Russell, picked up from a libary display, we shall see...