North of Ordinary
Stories of resilience in a changing world
John Rolfe Gardiner author Maria Nicklin illustrator Christopher Benfey editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bellevue Literary Press
Publishing:27th Feb '25
£12.99
This title is due to be published on 27th February, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
This collection of stories reveals the resilience of various characters facing life's challenges. North of Ordinary beautifully explores the power of human connection.
In North of Ordinary, John Rolfe Gardner presents a compelling collection of stories that delve into the lives of various survivors navigating an unpredictable world. The narrative opens with a striking statement that sets the tone for the collection: 'You’re as likely to be hit twice by lightning on a Monday as see a wood chipper pull a man into its maw.' This introduction hints at the unexpected and often surreal experiences that unfold within these pages.
The stories introduce readers to a diverse cast of characters, each facing their own unique challenges. From a nervous apprentice learning the ropes from a seasoned tree climber to a dangerously obsessed student at a Southern Bible college, Gardner skillfully weaves their tales together. The collection also features an attractive schemer aiming to attract listeners to her tiny radio station and an undercover lawman whose cross-dressing identity leads to a profound friendship with a deaf child.
Through these ten narratives, North of Ordinary offers a touching and surprising exploration of humanity. It reveals the resilience of individuals as they confront their circumstances, ultimately highlighting the power of art to bring people together in a fractured society. Gardner’s storytelling is both intimate and revelatory, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of life and the connections that bind us all.
“A natural turbulence exists driving each story coupled with strong narrative and character development. North of Ordinary will enhance your world view.” —North of Oxford
“A well-crafted collection. . . . Gardiner holds the reader’s attention with his incisive prose. These reflective tales were worth the wait.” —Publishers Weekly
“Traverses notions of locale and loneliness, wandering and wistfulness.” —Booklist
“Wistful, quirky, and laugh-out-loud funny. . . . Gardiner’s art seamlessly elides the ordinary.” —Christopher Benfey, author of A Summer of Hummingbirds and If: The Untold Story of Kipling’s American Years (from the Introduction)
“A lovely, meditative collection, steeped in old ways and days and with a true sense of place.” —Andrea Barrett, author of Ship Fever and Natural History
“What dazzling stories John Rolfe Gardiner writes. His characters, in the best way, are earthbound, caught in the web of work and school and family, past and present. Each story is a world, perfect and complete, and when I read the last one I marveled that so much wisdom and beauty could be contained in a single volume: North of Ordinary.” —Margot Livesey, author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy and The Road from Belhaven
“Thomas McGuane and Larry McMurtry both told me the short story was, to each of them, the most challenging form of prose. Tom said he wrote five novels before he ever turned out one good short story. Larry ceased all attempts at short fiction before I was born. John Rolfe Gardiner seems to have mastered the short story. These are first rate.” —James McMurtry, singer-songwriter
“I’m a fan of John Rolfe Gardiner’s fiction and will read any book he writes. He has the kind of energetic and clear prose I admire.” —Jay Parini, author of The Last Station and The Damascus Road
ISBN: 9781954276321
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
192 pages