Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage : Stories

In this stunning tenth collection of stories from Canada's matchless chronicler, Alice Munro, lives come into focus through single events or sudden memories which bring the past bubbling to the surface. The past, as Alice Munro's characters discover, is made up not only of what is remembered but also of what isn't. The past is there, just out of the picture, but if memories haven't been savoured, recalled in the mind and boxed away, it's as if they have never been - until a moment when the pieces of the jigsaw re-form suddenly, sometimes pleasurably but more often painfully. Women look back at their young selves, at first marriages made when they were naive and trusting, at husbands and their difficult, demanding little ways. There is in this new collection an underlying heartbreak, a sense of regret in her characters for what might have been, for a fork in the road not taken, a memory suppressed in an act of prudent emotional housekeeping. But at the same time, there is hope, there are second chances."Munro’s nine tales are set mostly in her native Ontario or in western Canada, and realized with steely precise statement and in meticulously deployed specific local detail... We work our way slowly into these multileveled stories, gradually learning how the minutiae of their characters’ past experiences and unlived dreams have shaped [their lives]... Rich, mature, authoritative stories veined with respectful attention to the complexity and singularity of vagrant, cluttered and compromised lives." - Kirkus ReviewsAlice Ann Munro is a Canadian short-story writer who is widely considered one of the world's premier fiction writers. Munro is a three-time winner of Canada's Governor General's Award for fiction. Her stories focus on human relationships looked at through the lens of daily life. She has thus been referred to as "the Canadian Chekhov." She is the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. **winner Of The Nobel Prize In Literature** In This Perfect Collection, Each Of Alice Munro's Glorious Stories Is As Satisfying And Richly Crafted As A Novel. In These Stories Lives Come Into Focus Through Single Events Or Sudden Memories Which Bring The Past Bubbling To The Surface. The Past, As Alice Munro's Characters Discover, Is Made Up Not Only Of What Is Remembered, But Also What Isn't. The Past Is There, Just Out Of The Picture, But If Memories Haven't Been Savoured, Recalled In The Mind And Boxed Away, It's As If They Have Never Been - Until A Moment When The Pieces Of The Jigsaw Re-form Suddenly, Sometimes Pleasurably But More Often Painfully. Women Look Back At Their Young Selves, At First Marriages Made When They Were Naive And Trusting, At Husbands And Their Difficult, Demanding Little Ways. There Is In This Collection An Underlying Heartbreak, A Sense Of Regret In Her Characters For What Might Have Been, For A Fork In The Road Not Taken, A Memory Suppressed In An Act Of Prudent Emotional Housekeeping. But At The Same Time There Is Hope, There Are Second Chances - Here Are People Who Reinvent Themselves, Seize Life By The Throat, Who Have Moved On And Can Dare To Conjure Up The Hidden Memories, Daring To Go Beyond What Is Remembered. **one Of The Guardian's 100 Best Books Of The 21st Century** WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE In these stories lives come into focus through single events or sudden memories which bring the past bubbling to the surface. The past, as Alice Munro's characters discover, is made up not only of what is remembered, but also what isn't. The past is there, just out of the picture, but if memories haven't been savoured, recalled in the mind and boxed away, it's as if they have never been - until a moment when the pieces of the jigsaw re-form suddenly, sometimes pleasurably but more often painfully. Women look back at their young selves, at first marriages made when they were naive and trusting, at husbands and their difficult, demanding little ways. There is in this new collection an underlying heartbreak, a sense of regret in her characters for what might have been, for a fork in the road not taken, a memory suppressed in an act of prudent emotional housekeeping. But at the same time there is hope, there are second chances - here are people who reinvent themselves, seize life by the throat, who have moved on and can dare to conjure up the hidden memories, daring to go beyond what is remembered. In the nine breathtaking stories that make up her celebrated tenth collection, Alice Munro achieves new heights, creating narratives that loop and swerve like memory, and conjuring up characters as thorny and contradictory as people we know ourselves. A tough-minded housekeeper jettisons the habits of a lifetime because of a teenager?s practical joke. A college student visiting her brassy, unconventional aunt stumbles on an astonishing secret and its meaning in her own life. An incorrigible philanderer responds with unexpected grace to his wife?s nursing-home romance. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage is Munro at her best, tirelessly observant, serenely free of illusion, deeply and gloriously humane. From the Trade Paperback edition Alice Munro has long been heralded for her penetrating, lyrical prose, and in "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" -- the basis for Sarah Polley's film Away From Her -- her prodigious talents are once again on display. As she follows Grant, a retired professor whose wife Fiona begins gradually to lose her memory and drift away from him, we slowly see how a lifetime of intimate details can create a marriage, and how mysterious the bonds of love really are.From the Trade Paperback edition. Features stories in which lives come into focus through single events or sudden memories which bring the past bubbling to the surface. In this title, there is an underlying heartbreak, a sense of regret in the characters for what might have been, for a fork in the road not taken, a memory suppressed in an act of prudent emotional housekeeping.