About This Book
A noted Canadian writer tenderly and wistfully tells the stories of a rural, hardworking community near the U.S./Canadian border.
A wistful tenderness lies over the stories in this collection by David Elias. Steven and Bill see over into the U.S. from their farming community in Canada. Wondering and wishing about life across the border, the two boys walk up to other startling lines in their adolescent world that eventually leave them perplexed, angry, wishful. Steven watches his mom, Nettie, and his dad, Clarence, grow far apart, despite the strong expectations of their religious community. He sees blind Uncle Abe romance Miss Nickel, the schoolteacher, unsuccessfully. What are Steven's chances when he meets Marie after nearly hitting her cat with his car? Are there buried rockets across all the borders, leaving a happy marriage and a satisfying career--and trusting friendship with anyone--in likely jeopardy?
Elias sets his stories in concrete detail; then he masterfully settles an aura of disquieting mystery over each one. David Elias is the author of four books--two short-story collections and two novels. His work has appeared in many journals and periodicals in Canada and the U.S. His short story "How I Crossed Over" was a finalist for the Journey Prize. His novel Sunday Afternoon was nominated for numerous awards, including McNally Robinson Book of the Year, the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction, and the Books in Canada First Novel Award. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
