The White Road and Other Stories

Exploring the intersection of science and human experience

Tania Hershman author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Salt Publishing

Published:1st Sep '08

Should be back in stock very soon

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The White Road and Other Stories cover

This collection features Tania Hershman's imaginative stories that intertwine science with human emotion, exploring themes of love, loss, and resilience throughout various unique settings.

In The White Road and Other Stories, Tania Hershman weaves a tapestry of unique narratives that traverse unconventional settings, from a café in Antarctica to a casino where gamblers wager their shoes. This debut collection showcases her talent for blending the surreal with the deeply human, as each story invites readers into a world where the extraordinary meets the everyday. Hershman's characters, each facing their own challenges, navigate themes of love, loss, and the complexities of life, all while being grounded in a sense of wonder and curiosity.

The stories draw inspiration from scientific articles, prompting readers to ponder 'what if' scenarios that stretch the boundaries of imagination. A bereaved mother opens a café on the road to the South Pole, while an elderly woman educates her young carer about the meaning of pregnancy before modern science. These narratives are not only inventive but also rich with emotional depth, reflecting on the human experience through the lens of science and nature.

Hershman's writing is described as lush and intelligent, seamlessly marrying the realities of physics with the intricacies of human emotion. Each tale is crafted with precision, allowing readers to explore the emotional landscapes of her characters in just a few pages. The White Road and Other Stories is a collection that captivates, leaving a lasting impression as it delves into the connections between the scientific and the profoundly personal.

...an author dripping with talent, this is as good as modern reading gets.

-- New Scientist Christmas Books Special: Best of 2008

This collection exemplifies everything that is best about the short story. With succinctness rarely seen in the work of someone new to fiction, Hershman extracts the very essence of a moment to reveal the poignant fragility of human relationships... each story is so different from the next that you will be tempted to read `just one more’, until you find you have read the whole book in one sitting. Hershman writes in a variety of style that are sometimes whimsical and playful, other times wry and edgy, so that you never tire of her narrative voice.

-- Dominique Wilson * Wet I

  • Commended for Orange Prize for New Writers 2009 (UK)
  • Long-listed for Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award 2009 (Ireland)

ISBN: 9781844714971

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 9mm

Weight: unknown

144 pages