The Garden Of Reading
Where else but in a garden could one find a tender rose flourishing next to a tough cactus, a rustic arbor framing a delicate vine? Slung acknowledges such satisfying serendipity in her equally enchanting anthology of garden-related short fiction, a lush compilation of stories that celebrates the garden's role in inspiring love, fueling desire, soothing pain, assuaging grief. Few collections could support both a Garrison Keillor and a Stephen King, but Slung arranges her entries as carefully as the most discerning landscape designer. "The Flower Garden," David Guterson's sensitive tribute to lost love, is artfully balanced by "See No Weevil," James Thurber's whimsical reflection on botanical nomenclature. Lisa St. Aubin de Teran conjures a unique form of pest control, while the inimitable Saki amuses with his inspired answer to every gardener's prayers. From the perfection of J. G. Ballard's "The Garden of Time" to the poignance of Anne Rosner's "Prize Tomatoes," Slung winsomely celebrates the creative muses of gardeners and writers alike.Carol HaggasCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved