The Gateway: Stories

by T. M. McNally

Description

T. M. McNally’s subject in the seven stories in this, his third story collection, is love, always love. For him, these are religious stories for skeptics who are spiritually inclined. In "Bastogne,” a middle-aged son visiting the French countryside where his father was wounded in World War II pursues his father’s early ghosts, along with some of his own. In "Given,” the father of the lovely Annabella determines to provide a means of escape for his cherished daughter who has made a show more drastic mistake in her choice of a husband. And in the title story, a man and his wife celebrate their wedding anniversary in Paris where he muses about the bittersweet vagaries of his life and loves and about his wife’s younger days in the City of Light. show less

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karenmerguerian 63 reviews

What a refreshing relief to read a collection of stories that look at the grim fate of humanity and still find some kind of redemption in the capacity for love. Very real, very painful lives, but very beautifully described. It's so fashionable to write about poor and lower middle class lives, with drugs, lies, desperation, illness, but usually the stories end with some awful hopeless ending that makes you wonder why anyone bothers to live, even. Well, these stories are about those same people, but about how and why they go on. In mood and feeling, not quite at the Jhampa Lahiri level, but in the same general genre.

Apr 4, 2009

TRHummer 24 reviews

This fine book of stories, which was a finalist for the Penn/Faulkner prize this year, deserves a wide readership. If you're a fan of excellent short fiction, read this one; you won't want to miss it.

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