The Winter Father

I had heard off and on about Dubus and considered reading something by him, so when the online Catholic Book Club, started with The Winter Father, I decided to read this particular book. As I waited for the book to arrive, I read more about Dubus, then read the book's introduction Richard Russo. By then I realized that Dubus was probably someone I am glad I never personally knew!I am not one who reads many short stories, so it took me a while to get used to changing scenes and changing characters, but this forced me to consider the book in a different way. I definitely found myself judging the characters. For some reason I was surprised at the quality of the writing.When I got to the story "A Pretty Girl" I found myself as troubled by Polly as I am by any woman who bases her importance on her looks or her relationship to men. I realize that is my 2019 brain talking, and perhaps a harsh judgment on my part. There was little depth to her character and as I considered her and the few other women in the book, is in stark contrast to the author's fuller development of his male characters. I also found myself uncomfortable with the book's ever present brutality.I found the interweaving of Catholicism into his work interesting, and wondered just how Dubus himself worshipped. I gather he had a struggling relationship with the church's "rules" and the Commandments in general, which all human beings may find themselves breaking from time to time, and would like to know how he reconciled his actions with his spiritual life.As Dubus seems to be compared to Hemmingway, I wonder how I would feel about him if I had ever read any Hemmingway.Reading this collection is a bit like reading a good old-fashioned pulp detective story, full of crime, drinking, and hard living. Overall, this was a worthwhile read, a good thought-provoking example of good literature. I am glad I read this, but do not think I will seek to read more by him in the future.

Short fiction gets no better than this and I am beyond psyched that I get to revisit all this wonderful ness in this repackaged set. And more to come in autumn? Splendid! These stories changed my life. Enough said.

Surprise structure of sentences and paragraphs. Descriptions of people's real life experiences without perfect endings. The author's ability to describe a character's psychological, emotional and physical in depth with few words. Compelling if one is not looking for happy endings all the time.