Tara Ison’s Ball is a Kirkus-starred collection of eleven short stories that has been called “exquisite and harrowing” by Dylan Landis. Most of the stories are named after common, everyday things, like “Fish,” “Wig,” and “Cactus.” In “Ball,” a woman sets her dog on fire. In “Fish,” a woman comes to terms with falsely accusing an uncle of childhood sexual abuse. While “Bakery Girl” seems to be about the awkward first sexual experience of a fourteen-year-old girl, it is also the story of female bullying and the way it shapes sexual behavior and expectations. Ison is not afraid to tackle taboo topics in often cringe-worthy ways. But her innovative use of language and compellingly-crafted stories make Ball a page turner that’s hard to put down – and even harder to forget.
We're lucky to have Ison as an Associate Professor here at ASU and next week, MAROONED will interview her about Ball. Stay tuned for her thoughts on how this collection of short fiction developed.
Ball will be released on November 10th by Soft Skull Press.
No comments:
Post a Comment