ISLAND The Collected Stories

The complete stories of Alistair MacLeod number only 16, but these have been enough to elevate this Scots-Canadian writer to the highest regard among critics and readers. The Scots inflections of John Lee bring out all the grace and precision of MacLeod's prose. Arranged chronologically, these stories reflect themes of family, coming of age, and mortality, set against the hard landscape of Cape Breton Island. Lee captures the brisk clarity of MacLeod's prose, the matter-of-fact unsentimentality that belies deep sentiment, the exactitude of hard labor that threads from story to story. His accomplished delivery brings continuity and cohesion to these 16 stories, which share common themes and setting and interesting affinities of tone. MacLeod has only recently come into wide recognition here in the United States, and this fine collection is an excellent opportunity to experience his remarkable body of work in its entirety. D.A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]