TITLE: Bang Crunch
AUTHOR: Neil Smith
DATE: January 2008
This is a collection of 9 short stories, which by the way is Neil Smith’s debut novel. He is a Canadian author living in Montreal, QC. The characters in all the short stories are all average people who end up in unexpected situations. The stories all vary in plot but the settings are all the same. The stories are all based around Montreal locations. (Its always nice to read books that take place in your city.)
The first story called Isolettes opens like this “Blue tube, green tube, clear tube, fat tube” The story is about An who has just had a premature baby with her gay friend Jacob. The details of the premature baby are so exact that you feel as though you are in the Nick U with the baby.
The story of Green Florescent protein is about a 17 year old boy, Max who is struggling to admit his attraction to his friend. There is also another story about Max’s mother Funny Weird or Funny Ha Ha. Where she talks about growing up watching reruns of I Love Lucy. She talks about her husband and how he died. She put his ashes in a curling stone.
The B9ers is about the struggle of a group of people trying to return to normal life after finding out they all have benign tumors. They don’t get the support they need since their tumors aren’t malignant.
The Bang Crunch is about Eepie a girl with Fred Hoyle’s Syndrome, which ages her a year a day until she reaches 80 and then she goes back in time.
Those are just a few examples of the stories that are in the book. I really enjoyed reading them. Its been awhile since I have read short stories. Looking forward to reading some more.
I got to see and listen to Neil speak tonight and what a pleasure it was. He talked about his book and that its being published in different languages. He doesn’t write full time yet just part time. He is in the process of working on his novel called Heaven Is a Place Where Nothing Ever Happens. That sounds really good. Looking forward to reading it when it comes out. To read the first five chapters click here.
Neil is actually quite tall. Okay I am just short I admit it LOL.
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
It would be so much fun to go to a reading right after reading a book by the author. I wish we had more of those around here.
Me too. There isn’t alot that come to the library. I find alot of events like that are down town. So yea its going to be fun seeing as I made it a point to read the book today.
I just went to my first author reading last week…Joceylynn Drake. It was great! I really want to go to more.
Love the review, and I want to read more short stories. This book sounds amazing. Looks like another one to put on MUST GET THIS list. 🙂
-Lauren
Hey Cindy –
I again missed my chance to take the pic! Nice one though. It sounds like a great book.
I loved your review. I really liked this book as well. Neil Smith shows great promise!
Wow, I didn’t realize how tall he is. Great photo. I missed him when he was here in Vancouver, so I hope he comes again. I go to quite a few author events. Our library and city have a good selection. I’m very fortunate.
shooting stars- I love going to author readings. I love meeting the person and hearing them speak about the book they wrote and I read.
myckyee- LOL yes it appears as though you missed that note about me needing you that night HAHA. Its okay I asked the woman who works at the library to do it. Its a really good book.
teddy rose- thank you for the compliments. Yes I think Neil will be a great author. Really looking forward to his book coming out. Well i am short. Roughly 5 feet so yea he was tall. Our library has some pretty good authors that come and the chapters has a few too.