In the Heart of the Heart of the Country

by William H. Gass

Book Overview

Five short stories depict love, misfortune and the challenge of midwestern life. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879233745
• ISBN13: 9780879233747
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A Mass of Gass

This collection of long short stories will not let you relax while you read. As with the other Gass I've read, he wants to make you think deeply. There are no clear cut endings, but these aren't clear cut stories. The best thing about this edition (ISBN 0879233745) is the preface by Gass himself. I usually save such for reading as an afterword (too many prefaces and introductions have too many spoilers). This can be read first or last, but lets you a little more into his thoughts. His use of language lets you enjoy stories that wouldn't normally hold your interest.

Makes Me Think Of

William Gass. No one else but William Gass.

Please Keep Early Gass in Print, Vote 2

Early William H. Gass is essential. This fairly straightforward book is early Gass. Gass after Omensetter is a very personal taste. Fame, even the tiny minor academic variety, infects human beings oddly. Gass only had a few stories to tell. This book matters. Please keep the great early Gass alive/available & do not worry much about the later still quite interesting but arrogant blatting.

why has this gone out of print

It seems impossible that a collection of stories as ground breaking as these could disappear from the bookshelves, but here it is. I came on to find out about ordering a copy but found the publisher was out! Then let me say, having read it a few times already that while In the Heart of the Heart of the Country gets and deserves much praise in this collection, The Pederson Kid is MASTERFul in its language, pacing and style. Order of Insects also is rumination as short story. I am in love with this book and like your true love, it will always be there.