Confessions of a Falling Woman
Winner of the Paterson Fiction Prize
Winner of a Florida Book Award
“Dean is a marvelous chameleon of a writer, adapting, reflecting revealing multiple, generous world with perceptiveness, humor, and light." –A. Manette Ansay, bestselling author of Vinegar Hill
Ten masterworks of short fiction—by turns tender, comic, powerful, and devastating—from the highly praised author of The Madonnas of Leningrad. A surprised Southern matriarch is confronted by her family at an intervention. . . . A life-altering break-in triggers insomniac introspection in a desperate actor. . . . Streetwise New York City neighbors let down their guard for a naïve puppeteer and must suffer the consequences. . . In this stunning collection of short stories—five of which are published for the first time bestselling, award-winning author Debra Dean displays the depth and magnitude of her literary talent. Replete with the seamless storytelling and captivating lyrical voice that made her debut novel, The Madonnas of Leningrad, a national bestseller, Dean’s Confessions of a Falling Woman is a haunting, satisfying, and unforgettable reading experience.
Praise for Confessions of a Falling Woman
“Smart... gritty and real... Debra Dean's new collection is proof that the [short-story] form can capture gripping, neurotic or darkly funny slices of life in a way that illuminates the modern experience on a broader level.” Chicago Tribune
“An attractive wry humor ripples through this collection of ten stories... Dean has a fine appreciation for the way chance can save or doom careers and marriages. More, please.” Kirkus Reviews
Readers will certainly forget themselves in these sparkling stories, pausing over small, strange moments that change entire lives.” Publishers Weekly
“. . . a stunning collection of stories... Characters are drawn subtly, with just enough detail to let the reader feel the personality, and the story is allowed to carry the characters to its conclusion.” Library Journal
“Lyrically written stories... that make a lasting impression.” The Seattle Times
“Without being preachy, Dean has something to say... The writing in this collection... compels in an almost hypnotic kind of way, drawing us into these well-crafted moments from 10 imagined lives.” The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC)