Signaling for Rescue (Many Voices Project)

By Marianne Herrmann

These stories dramatize the harrowing path from fear or abuse to hope and redemption. Whether mourning miscarried children while caring for a pregnant sister, surviving childhood sexual abuse in the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 089823235X
• ISBN13: 9780898232356
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: New Rivers Press
• Length: 180 Pages
• Weight: 2.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.6" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

A must read!

I must start this review by stating that I am not fond of short stories. I picked up this book because It was highly recommended by a friend. Ordinarily I prefer novels because short stories don't give me the opportunity to fall in love or hate a character, to really get under their skin. This wonderfully written collection of short stories is the exception. Ms. Herrmann's characters come to life in each page. You can feel their pain and sorrows and can identify with the universal themes so poignantly depicted by each of them. I am looking forward to reading this author's next book and highly recommend this one.

Book Club finds new favorite author

Signaling for Rescue jumped to the top of the favorites list for my book club at first read and some stories have already inspired a second read for many! No one story was a universal favorite among the crowd as each evoked a sense of connection and understanding for different readers in different ways. Leonardo's Baby took the lead when votes were cast, but personally it was Stones that had my heart pounding and aching throughout. Our dialogue about the book literally lasted all night as we explored these characters we felt we knew so well. We easily imagined these characters to be part of our lives and as a side benefit, we either recalled or fantasized about spending time in Italy. I logged on today to order some for holiday presents. It is a guaranteed hit with any reader who enjoys vivid characters you can and do care about, struggling with their demons consciously or unconsciously, alone or with those that love them. We can't wait for Marianne Herrmann to publish again!

Loved it!

Signaling for Rescue by Marianne Herrmann is an exceptional first book. Many characters in this collection journey from a place of pain to that of hope and recovery. The stories are honest, heartfelt, and moving. The characters are so real that I felt as if I knew each one of them. The writing is superb. The characters are vivid, the stories engrossing. This is a completely memorable book.

Stunning stories with deep character development

Signaling for Rescue is an excellent collection of carefully crafted short stories. The characters are immensely well drawn. Their emotions touched me, gently but profoundly. In the first story, "Leonardo's Baby," Ellen and her husband are struggling to cope with a series of miscarriages - a daughter and two sons. While they are teetering on the brink of despair, Ellen's pregnant sister leaves her abusive husband and comes to stay with them. Her child, unwanted by its father, sails easily into the world - a beautiful and healthy baby. The difficulty of containing overwhelming grief and exhibiting joy for her sister, pummel Ellen, forcing a reaction. Other stories in the book portray triumphs over grief and pain by parents, children and between them. There are children bonded together by abuse; siblings unsure of themselves because one of them has gone for alcoholism treatment; and a mother and son who travel in Italy trying to adjust to the suicide of a daughter/sister. While these all seem to be depressing subjects, the stories themselves are not maudlin. They are ripe with detail -in "Cooking Lessons," arthritic Melissa is disturbed by her protruding knuckles and ""She minced slowly, unable to find a rhythm, producing a watery heap of onion shards." In "Signaling for Rescue," George examines an Italian fresco of a couple sharing a bath - "This couple had been alive--they looked as if they had eaten, reveled, and bickered their way to the grave." Details in each story give the characters personality and depth. I enjoyed the book a great deal. A very fine offering for short story lovers from this first-time author! Armchair Interviews says: If you admire well-written short stories, this excellent collection is for you.