Harmony of the World: Stories
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
From the winner of the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story and "one of our most gifted writers" (Chicago Tribune)--these ten stories show make everyday experiences seem utterly unprecedented, even as Baxter reminds us, gently and with a sly comic twist, that everything they feel is only the collateral damage of being human. Whether he is writing about the players in a rickety bisexual love triangle or a woman visiting her husband in a nursing home, probing the psychic mainspring of a grimly obsessive weight lifter or sifting through the layers of resentment, need, and pity in a friendship that has gone on a few decades too long, Baxter enchants us with the elegant balance of his prose and the unexpectedness of his insights. Harmony of the World is a masterpiece of lucidity and compassion.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0679776516
ISBN13:9780679776512
Release Date:March 1997
Publisher:Knopf Publishing Group
Length:160 Pages
Weight:0.46 lbs.
Dimensions:0.5" x 5.2" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
with a little disharmony as well
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
Originally published in 1984, this collection features Baxter's least middle-class, most internally-troubled characters. They are senile, depressed, chronically lonely. The finale, "The Crank" is a gorgeous study of plot. The recently divorced protagonist's interactions with a similarly lonely guru are magical and uplifting. Baxter went on to mature considerably in terms of craft, but these stories are emotionally generous and smart.
Another winner from Baxter
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
Sifting through "Harmony of the World" is like panning for gold. Each page is an exercise in patience and endurance, but when you happen upon a nugget of Baxter's comical insight or warm compassion, you know you've struck it rich. Baxter does a wonderful job of balancing intelligence, humor, and believable characters. The title story alone is worth the price.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
