Amasterfulcollectionofstoriesthatshowcasesoneofthecountry’smostbelovedandacclaimedwriters--award-winningauthor,WalterMosley.BestsellingauthorWalterMosleyhasprovenhimselfamasterofnarrativetension,bothwithhisextraordinaryfictionandgrippingwritingfortelevision.TheAwkwardBlackMancollectsseventeenofMosley’smostaccomplishedshortstoriestoshowcasethefullrangeofhisremarkabletalent.Mosleypresentsdistinctcharactersastheystruggletomovethroughtheworldineachofthesestories--heroeswhoareawkward,nerdy,self-defeating,self-involved,and,onthewhole,odd.Heoverturnsthestereotypesthatcorralblackmalecharactersandpaintsasubtle,powerfulportraitofeachoftheseuniqueindividuals.In“TheGoodNewsIs,“aman’sinsecurityabouthisweightgiveswaytoaseriousillnessandtheintenselonelinessthataccompaniesit.Deeplyvulnerable,heallowshimselftobetakenadvantageofinreturnforalittlehumancomfortinarawdisplayoftrueneed.“PetFly,“previouslypublishedintheNewYorker,followsamanworkingasamailroomclerkforabigcompany--asolitaryjobforwhichheisoverqualified--andtheunforeseenrepercussionsheendureswhenheattemptstoforgeaconnectionbeyondtheonehehaswiththeflybuzzingaroundhisapartment.And“AlmostAlyce“chroniclesfailedloves,familyloss,alcoholism,andaZenapproachtotheartofbeggingthatprovessurprisinglyeffective.Touchingandcontemplative,eachoftheseunexpectedstoriesoffersthebestofoneofourmostgiftedwriters.
