Reader Reviews
★★★★★
I was happily blown away by the tight, smart prose, especially in the second of the two novellas, which is about a boy who finds a sailboat half buried in the sand and restores it. I found the story spare and intensely moving. This book is like a secret treasure--a real find.
Christina Lynch, author of The Italian Party and Pony Confidential
★★★★★
These stories are imbued with justice and in the end, comfort. I laughed and sighed and recognized myself. Morrow writes with grace and clarity. In his assured, unfolding stories, I was carried in his wisdom. He respects and loves his characters. I can’t wait to see whatever else Morrow turns his pen to.
Cynthia Linkas, author of Vows and Tumbled Time
Things Beloved
★★★★★
Consummate story-teller Glenn Morrow roots his characters in compassion and spikes his words with grace and wit. This is a book for those of us who hunger for stories that celebrate our innate generosity and goodness, while we greedily turn the pages. Two stories, one slim book for everyone’s bedside table.
Sally Ryder Brady, author of A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage
★★★★★
If you want tales that intrigue, surprise, amuse, and move you, look no further than Things Beloved. Morrow’s work brings you close to real people in extraordinary situations facing challenging moral choices. He writes with engaging skill and resonant empathy.
R.C. Binstock, author of What You Can’t Give Me and Tree of Heaven
★★★★★
The heart and the intellect dance an intimate tango of wit and wisdom in Glenn Morrow’s stories that allow us the hope of personal and communal justice and redemption in the ordinary and extraordinary circumstances of life.
Kiki Latimer, author of Seeing God’s Face and co-author of Philosophy Begins in Wonder
Vacation and Other Tales of Enduring Love
A compact but moving collection that will stay with readers long after they close the book.
Morrow highlights human connections and love in this collection of short stories.
The story “Waxwings” describes a ritual between birds in which their “mutual and reciprocal” custom of passing fruit to one another is borne not simply out of necessity but also love; this first story sets the tone for the rest of the collection. In these five pieces of short fiction, the author examines the depth of love in relationships both romantic and familial. The titular story, “Vacation,” follows Thomas and Grace Kemp, a couple touring the Grand Canyon. Thomas has recently developed a proof that explains the existence of God. While expounding on his ideas in a lecture, Thomas notices an extremely tall man, who states, “I miss faith.” Later, at the Grand Canyon, he meets the same mysterious man and has a horrific discussion with him that rattles Thomas. In this piece, Morrow examines the concept of faith, as well as the depth of love between Thomas and Grace. A similarly evocative story, “Mr. Coe’s Garden,” concerns Curtis, a teenager in need of some spare cash who helps his neighbor, Mr. Coe, create a garden in his backyard. Over time, Mr. Coe’s idiosyncrasies, along with his eccentric plans for the garden, start to make sense when a buried time capsule is uncovered, leading to an emotional resolution. The collection’s standout story is “Navigation.” Lewis is a young man who gets lost so easily and so often that he draws intricate maps of different places to guide him. In college, he meets Robin, and they fall in love. When they vacation in Italy, Lewis thinks to himself, “In her I am never lost. By her I am always found.” Though Morrow’s stories seem brief and simple, there is a depth of feeling displayed throughout. There is also a slight irreverence to the characters, leading to dashes of humor that supplement the emotional gravitas of each story. The scenarios feel lived-in and real, even when something mystical might be taking place. This is an admirable and affecting anthology.