War Stories, Short Fiction by Elisabeth Doyle Blog Tour

War Stories Book Summary:

We all carry our own battle scars. 

This is the premise of War Stories, a rich collection of short fiction that draws upon both the literal and figurative meaning of its title.  Through a diverse array of characters, settings, and circumstances, War Stories delivers a series of powerful tales from the home front of war: the stories of parents, siblings, and spouses of those who have fought, as well as those who have returned from battle.

Set against the backdrop of contemporary conflicts, War Stories’ compelling nine narratives tell of a wounded veteran who seeks renewal through an imagined relationship with a neighborhood girl, a grieving father who finds peace and reconciliation at the site of a disastrous bus crash, a young woman who searches for identity and meaning in the wake of her husband’s injury, and an urban teenager engaged in a fateful standoff with local recruiters. Interspersed with these tales are powerful, non-traditional “war stories” – of youth, unexpected loss, and heartbreaking love.

War Stories’ thoughtful and beautifully crafted tales, which range in style from deceptively simple to rich and complex, tell of people young and old, male and female, who share two things: humanity and resilience. These diverse and deftly written stories are joined through Elisabeth Doyle’s remarkable style and ease in creating a universe full of despair, hope, and dreams. At turns tender and harsh, tragic and yearning, these stories will leave you wanting more.

Elisabeth Doyle's Bio: 

Elisabeth Doyle is a writer and attorney living in Washington, D.C. She studied fiction writing at Sarah Lawrence College and the University at Albany, and is completing a Masters of Laws Degree at Georgetown University Law Center.  Ms. Doyle’s short fiction was published in the literary journal Nadir and was awarded the University at Albany’s Lovenheim Prize for best short fiction. Her first short film, Hard Hearted One, was admitted into the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema and the Street Films Film Festival, and was shown on Public Television and Manhattan Cable. War Stories is her first collection of short fiction.

Paperback 

Price: $14.95
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
ISBN: 9781937928407
Pages: 119
Release: August 7, 2012

Elisabeth Doyle's Web Site:
http://www.warstoriesshortfiction.com/Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

War Stories blog tour site:
http://warstoriesblogtour.blogspot.com/

My Thoughts

War Stories is a thoughtful emotional book, a series of short fiction stories that is wonderfully written and very compelling to read. The book is short but packs a powerful punch. I feel that these stories are character driven in that we get to "feel" what these people are going through. I generally do not read short stories, I like to get immersed in a novel and sometimes feel that a short story does not give enough. I did not feel that way with this one though and I do look forward to reading more by this author.

I received a copy of this book for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.