I need to get my own copy of this. The author was in the writing program at UVa when I attended. His stories are set in West Virginia. I think Jayne Ann Phillips quote from the cover describes the book well: "Breece Pancake's stories comprise no less than an American "Dubliners". We find here a landscape preserved in rich sadness because it is forgotten, a people whose lives are informed by loss, wrenching cruelty, and the luminous dignity which marks the endurance of all that is most human." ( )

Racconti che parlano di natura e uomini da vicino, con semplicità e maestosità. Non griderei al capolavoro, ma il respiro da classico americano di questa scrittura è innegabile. ( )

Rake, goed geschreven en uit het leven gegrepen kortverhalen over de uitzichtloosheid van het bestaan in het Amerikaanse binnenland. De tragische auteur Breece ‘dj’ Pancake was jong en erg getalenteerd, maar besloot zelf uit het leven te stappen.
Zijn nalatenschap zijn 12 kortverhalen die het harde leven in het binnenland tastbaar maken voor de lezer: over afwezige en dronken vaders, ontwrichte families, kansloos opgroeien, vechten als reden van bestaan, ...
Knappe bundel voor lezers van Harry Crews & Donald Ray Pollock ( )

This was an interesting read. The stories are walk-of-life sort of yarns that are distinctive of their settings and how they influence the characters and their actions. This is a very different kind of writing, and short story form, that I've dealt with and it's quite original in its conception. Overall, an intriguing read and one recommended if you value American short stories.

3 stars. ( )

great collection of a writer we lost too soon. ( )