Drowning in Gruel
by George Singleton
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Description
Acclaimed short-story master George Singleton follows the lives and schemes of the citizens of fictitious Gruel, South Carolina, in search of glory, seclusion, money, revenge, and a meaningful existence. In these nineteen tales, young Gruelites learn lessons when confronted with neighbors who might not be as blind as they appear, dermatologists intent on eradicating birthmarks, and fathers prone to driving on half-inflated tires in order to flirt with cashiers. Meanwhile, the town's older show more citizens try to make sense out of dogs that heal wounds, lawn-mowing dead men, wives who don't appreciate gas masks for Valentine's Day, and children who mix their mother's ashes with housepaint. Hilarious and tragic, George Singleton's unforgettable characters try to overcome their limitations as best they can. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Dogs, clueless foolish men, and women who take no shit populate George Singleton’s usual batch of seamless, funny as hell stories. They also populate Gruel, S.C., a town where apparently everyone is inadvertently amusing. Only Gruel would host a BBQ joint with a “pig-petting zoo/slaughterhouse off to the side” where parents counsel their kids not to get too attached to the piggies.
A highlight: “Claudia’s first husband left her one day when he decided that he wanted to live off of the land. On a houseboat with his secretary.”
The Opposite of Zero is a standout among this collection of wonderful stories.
A highlight: “Claudia’s first husband left her one day when he decided that he wanted to live off of the land. On a houseboat with his secretary.”
The Opposite of Zero is a standout among this collection of wonderful stories.
I would say this is the best collection of Southern Short Stories you will ever read. I really shouldn't qualify that statement with the word Southern, because this is one of the best collection of short stories you will ever read from any author.
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Awards and Honors
Common Knowledge
- Important places
- South Carolina, USA
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Statistics
- Members
- 58
- Popularity
- 528,636
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.28)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 2
