The Sadness of Spirits: Stories (Blue Light Books)

What power does misery play in daily life? In this sorrowful yet intriguing collection of stories, Aimee Pogson explores journeys of suffering through magical realism. A preschool teacher contends with the stream of salmon that keep appearing on her windowsill, in her closet, tucked in her shoes. A mailman collapses in his front yard, a victim of ache, undeniable and sad. An invisible boy swallows nails, buttons, and tree bark in a misguided attempt to grow stronger. Spirits cling to a Ouija board, restlessly hoping that someone will remove it from the closet and ask them a question. Music wells up in a teenage girl who sings a song that is hers and not hers, that is both inspired and haunted by an inescapable past. And a short, dancing man manipulates the melody of molecules in an attempt to bring his loved ones back to life. While sadness weighs heavy in The Sadness of Spirits, Pogson's writing provokes strong emotions, leaving the reader with hope and admiration as the characters are awakened to the nuance and possibility melancholy can bring.

• | Author: Aimee Pogson
• | Publisher: Indiana University Press
• | Publication Date: September 22, 2020
• | Number of Pages: 142 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 0253050456
• | ISBN-13: 9780253050458