Tess Gallagher

Gallagher is best known for her poetry, but this collection proves she is no slouch at the short fiction genre. I enjoyed nearly every selection here, which is not something I can often say about a book of short stories. For the most part, these have a true beginning, middle and end, and you feel like you've heard a Story when you finish one. They don't always "go" anywhere, but they are nearly always a fine place to "be". The characters have depth and life immediately (how does she do show more that?), the language is often poetic without being overblown, and there is a lot of wry humor. Gallagher gets under the surface of ordinary people, exposing the pithy centers of their lives, and with her guidance we can appreciate the mythic elements of the quotidian. show less

Distant Rain records a conversation between the eloquent American poet Tess Gallagher and the renowned Japanese novelist and Buddhist nun Jakucho Setouchi that took place in 1990 at Jakuan, Setouchi's home temple, in Sagano, Japan.
Gallagher had recently experienced the death of her husband, Raymond Carver, an internationally renowned short story writer. In a frank and at times humorous exchange, the two women trade observations about love and loss, and about the role of writing in coping show more with grief.

Their words, reproduced in both English and Japanese, unfold accordion-style across the rich colors and striking imagery of artist Keiko Hara's wood-block and stencil prints. Complemented by the exquisite lettering of typographer Maki Yamashita and under the guidance of master bookbinder Atsuo Ikuta, Distant Rain is not only a moving tribute to the sustaining power of love but also a stunning example of the art of book design. show less

In Willingly Tess Gallagher takes mundane and painful events and turns them into beautiful poems. That's what good poets do.

Memory is a theme throughout this collection. She begins with "Maybe I'm seven in the open field-" as she goes on to describe running through the field as the rain begins, her head back and mouth open to catch the drops. In many of these poems she eulogizes her father's death, weaving together memories of fishing trips, farms, and hospitals. She writes at the end of show more "Boat Ride," "Good memory,/ if you are such a boat, tell me/ we did not falter in the vastness /when we walked ashore." In fact, several poems are about caring for others who are either sick or mourning, but she is never heavy -handed. There is always a sense of light in these poems.

And there is room for humor too. She meditates on the strangeness of long distance phone calls, and on a trip to Asia where she ate sparrow. In "Linoleum" she contemplates spirituality and materialism as she documents a journey to the grocery store.

She ends with a "Woodcutting on Lost Mountain," which captures a conversation and trip with her brother and niece to cut wood. Her brother has taken on traits of their father, and Gallagher sees herself in her niece. The refrain is "It's a wonder we ever grew up." show less

At the Owl Woman Saloon has 16 stories set primarily in the Northwestern United States. Some deal with people who work in logging, a major regional industry, but themes of aging and widowhood a paramount. Like most short story collections, some stories spoke to me in very direct ways, and stood out from the rest:

- The Leper: this story recounts everyday events for a couple living in a seaside village. Gallagher captures a moment in time without attempting to tie up loose ends. The woman show more takes a phone call from a distraught friend. Funeral flowers are mistakenly delivered to her home. She watches horses swimming in the sea. Small, ordinary and yet extraordinary occurrences all beautifully portrayed.

- Coming and Going: Emily, recently widowed, is visited by a deputy Marshall looking for her husband regarding a legal dispute. She directs him to where her husband has "relocated." I could feel her pain while also laughing out loud at her deception.

- Mr Woodriff's Neckties: A man observes his neighbors as one of them declines and eventually passes away. A good deed brings a sense of calm. I loved this story; it made me think about mortality and the importance of enjoying today because you never know what the future holds:
On Sundays I see her gathering these same roses, now that they've bloomed, to take to the cemetery. It makes me wonder if they both knew while they were planting them that this was out there in the future. Or maybe they were so involved with earth and root balls and whether the holes were deep enough that they didn't trouble to think ahead, except that eventually there would be roses. Maybe their minds were mercifully clear of the future. That's what I hope, anyway. (p. 148)

- The Woman who Prayed: the book ends with this powerful story of a woman who discovers her husband is having an affair, and handles the situation in a unique and admirable way.

Gallagher is first a poet, which is clear in her beautiful prose. More than characters or plot, her stories are best appreciated by letting her words, imagery and metaphor wash over you. show less