Have you ever witnessed actions of random people in your life, and wondered, “What planet are they from?” Have you seriously considered someone’s actions so bizarre and alien to you that they might indeed be an alien?
I just finished reading Brad Watson’s new collection of short stories entitled Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives. I had never read Brad Watson but knew that he was from Meridian, Mississippi, and that his only novel, The Heaven of Mercury, was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2002. Fortunate for those in the First Edition Club, Mercury was the selection for August of 2002, and from what I hear, the novel was a wonderful read.
With all of this information logged away in my brain, I was not disappointed with the short stories in Aliens.
Most of the stories are set in contemporary times with families dealing with problems we are all too familiar with–a couple who cannot seem to quit arguing; a divorced and distanced father who must spend his visitation time with his son in a hotel instead of a home; in an effort to escape the memories of his ex-wife, a newly divorced man leaves their home to find an apartment of his own.
I must warn you that the first story is different from the rest. In my opinion, this story was disturbing, a little shocking even. It is, however, a story that I want to talk about with someone else who has read it. It raises many issues, but the most interesting to me is the character development of children.
While these stories are dark, I did not find them depressing. Brad Watson’s talent lies in his ability to portray a humanity that might seem alien to us with astonishing sensitivity.
Brad will be at Lemuria Friday, April 2nd at 5:00 p.m.
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