The Lonely Stories

A collection of essays about the joys and struggles of being alone by 22 literary writers including: Lev Grossman, Jhumpa Lahiri, Lena Dunham, Jesmyn Ward, Yiyun Li, and Anthony Doerr If you’re feeling lonely or if you’ve ever felt unseen, if you’re emboldened by solitude or secretly longing for it: Welcome to The Lonely Stories. This cathartic collection of essays illuminates an experience that so few of us openly discuss. Some stories are heartbreaking, such as Jesmyn Ward’s reckoning with the loss of her husband and Dina Nayeri’s reflection on immigrating to a foreign country. Others are witty, such as Lev Grossman’s rueful tale of heading to the woods or Anthony Doerr’s struggles with internet addiction. Still others celebrate the clarity of solitude, like Claire Dederer’s journey toward sobriety and Lidia Yuknavitch’s sensual look at desire. Thoughtful and affirming, The Lonely Stories reveals the complexities of an emotion we’ve all felt—reminding us that we're not alone. Contributors include: Megan Giddings Claire Dederer Imani Perry Jeffery Renard Allen Maggie Shipstead Emily Raboteau Lev Grossman Lena Dunham Yiyun Li Anthony Doerr Helena Fitzgerald Maile Meloy Aja Gabel Jean Kwok Amy Shearn Peter Ho Davies Maya Shanbhag Lang Jhumpa Lahiri Jesmyn Ward Lidia Yuknavitch Dina Nayeri Melissa Febos

These are tales told in a variety of voices: street hustlers, priests, blues singers, holocaust survivors, cross-dressers, paramilitary snipers, even those we may euphemistically consider the "ordinary" - all of them authentic, and all would subscribe to the maxim that "happiness is overrated." The dialogue is true to speech as it is spoken, shot through with humor, piercing sadness and puzzling beauty. To quote the important American critic, M.L. Rosenthal, "His is one of the few story collections I've seen that even begins to pick up from the method of Dubliners. Like Joyce, Callaghan gets so deeply and honestly into the local world that it is the international place we all inhabit."

Introduction by Russell Banks. The legendary book about writing by the legendary writer is back! Frank O'Connor was one of the twentieth century's greatest short story writers, and one of Ireland's greatest authors ever. Now, O'Connor's influential and sought-after book on the short story is back. The Lonely Voice offers a master class with the master. With his sharp wit and straightforward prose, O'Connor not only discusses the techniques and challenges of a form in which "a whole lifetime must be crowded into a few minutes," but he also delves into a passionate consideration of his favorite writers and their greatest works, including Chekhov, Hemingway, Kipling, Joyce, and others.

Charlotte Emma Gledson's The Lonely Tree and Other Twisted Tales of Torment is a collection of dark, disturbing and explicit stories that break the boundaries of usual horror fiction. Touching on subjects that are 'close to home'; these tales will conjure up feelings of agitation, with the lingering unease that will haunt you throughout your day. These stories are based on the horror and madness of the human mind. 'The book that I am reading right now, is Charlotte Gledson's The Lonely Tree. A treasure of dark tales that will keep me far away from England and the horrors that lie there. She has the ability to wrap you with the beauty of her words, and then darken the entire room around you with the meaning behind them. I would suggest this for any fans of horror and dark gothic tales'. JEFF EZELL - Autho

Finally collected by IT’S ALIVE! and co-published with Dark Horse, The Lonely War of Capt. Willy Schultz was originally serialized in the comic book Fightin' Army in the 1960s. An American solider of German heritage finds himself on the wrong side of World War II in this sweeping epic. This war story is, at its heart, an anti-war story and a story about universal human nature in the hellhole of war. Also includes a new final chapter drawn by Wayne Vansant and a new historical essay by Stephen R. Bissette about the series. This series was written by a sixteen-year-old Will Franz and illustrated by the already-seasoned comic book creator and WWII veteran Sam Glanzman. The entire story arc, collected here and finally finished, is one of the most dramatic, moving, and controversial comic book stories ever told!

“At times I felt like I was going to my own execution.” This personal story entails my birth and my growing up with estranged, unknown parents who forced me to become an adult while still being a very young child. The disappointments and sufferings that I confronted as a child were horrible and overwhelming along with the agony and the intense physical anguish of the forced departure from my grandmother who, like a mother, raised me from birth As I was yanked from my grandmother’s arms, I was forced to leave my childhood and heaven behind to enter into a different world while enduring and tolerating the abuse of my unwanted parents. I was always treated like a maid or a stepchild. Finally, I was brave enough to escape from them to begin my life as an adult to face new challenges. I could see my memories, my past, and all the events being projected in front of my eyes as I escaped from the parents as well as the struggles I endured as I entered my adult world, encountering different abuses with toxic relationships that forced me to face situations of life and death. This is the chronicle of my journey to the horizon of my life.

Provides a clear introduction to the key terms and frameworks in cognitive poetics and stylistics

As a 29-year Army and Army Reserve Colonel, I urge everyone--especially women--to read this important book. Through unforgettable stories, "The Lonely Soldier" explains the shocking frequency of sexual assault and what can be done--Army Reserve Colonel Ann Wright.