Book Review
Acorn's Card
by Stephen Poleskie
Stephen (Steve) Poleskie was born in Pringle, PA in 1938. The son of a high school teacher, Poleskie
graduated from Wilkes College in 1959 with a degree in Economics. A self-taught
artist, Poleskie had his first one-person show at the Everhart Museum, Scranton,
PA in January of 1959, while he was still in college. Artist, writer, and photographer, his artwork
is in the collections of numerous museums including the Metropolitan Museum, and
the Museum of Modern Art in New York: and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and
the Tate Gallery in London. His writing, fiction and art criticism, has appeared
in many journals both here and abroad. Among these are American Writing,
Leonardo, Lightworks, Pangolin Papers, Satire, and Sulphur River Literary Review
in the USA; D'Ars, and Domus in Italy, Himmelschrieber in Germany, and Imago in
Australia. He also has a story in the anthology The Book of Love, from W. W.
Norton. A handmade book of his poetry was published by Loughborough College of
Art in England. He has published two novels, The Balloonist, The Story of T. S.
C. Lowe, 2007, and The Third Candidate, 2008. Poleskie has taught, or been a
visiting professor at 26 colleges and art schools throughout the world,
including the School of Visual Art in NYC and the University of California,
Berkeley. He is currently a professor emeritus at Cornell University. He lives
in Ithaca, NY with his wife, the novelist, Jeanne Mackin.Book Description
An AWOL soldier returns to the world after thirty-three years of hiding in his mother's attic. An immigrant plumber bribes a policeman with a loaf of bread. And a plastic garbage bag flies around the sky looking for a new beginning, in these three out of the ordinary tales of living in America.
Book Review
Book Review
After his mother had died, the hero has to leave the attic where he has spent the last 33 years, locked in by his mother. Taking the first steps into a very changed world, having to learn the directions to local amenities, how to survive, how to get rid rid of his mothers body. He then receives a letter, who knows he exists? Its for a visa card, will he be excepted? - This excites him! Will this be the start to his life changing or could this be the start of the end.
The authors style of writing is excellent, well written and easy to follow. The thoughts and emotions portrayed by our hero, draws the reader in, not knowing what is going to happen next.
The plot is quite different and unique, how would anyone cope after being locked away in an attic for 33 years? The humour of the author is well portrayed and at certain points in the book, you will find yourself laughing, at other points you will feel sorry for the main character. For anyone who likes short stories this will totally appeal, easy to read yet keeps the reader totally enrapt. Overall an enjoyable read but felt some small parts of the story information was lacking.
The other two short stories are really thought provoking and challenge ideas and the way we think, expertly written and enjoyable.
The authors style of writing is excellent, well written and easy to follow. The thoughts and emotions portrayed by our hero, draws the reader in, not knowing what is going to happen next.
The plot is quite different and unique, how would anyone cope after being locked away in an attic for 33 years? The humour of the author is well portrayed and at certain points in the book, you will find yourself laughing, at other points you will feel sorry for the main character. For anyone who likes short stories this will totally appeal, easy to read yet keeps the reader totally enrapt. Overall an enjoyable read but felt some small parts of the story information was lacking.
The other two short stories are really thought provoking and challenge ideas and the way we think, expertly written and enjoyable.
Our Review
Very interesting. Wow being locked away for 33 yrs couldn't even imagine that.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of V.C. Andrews- Flowers in the Attic. Although they weren't locked away for that long of a time period, it still shows the anguish and yet sometimes funny side of these 4 children.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.