An Oral History of Atlantis

Across these subtly interconnected stories, Park (Same Bed Different Dreams) crafts a world animated by pulp fiction and space operas as much as by the mundane joys and sorrows of modern relationships. In the opener, “A Note to My Translator,” the author of a novel titled Mexican Fruitcake decries the dadaist liberties taken by a translator with his hard-boiled prose. Such gems as the unnamed narrator’s complaint that “the doctrine of transubstantiation has nothing to do with pinball” set the tone for the tongue-in-cheek humor that suffuses the collection. “Bring on the Dancing Horses” is narrated by a man who grows increasingly jealous when his girlfriend, a literary critic specializing in science fiction, develops a bond with the FedEx courier who regularly delivers review copies and who turns out to be a gifted writer of speculative fiction. “Seven Women” comprises sketches of women whose fates revolve around Hannah Hahn, the elusive but “legendary” editor of a cult literary journal from the late 1980s, including Hannah’s stepmother, Dr. Emma Chew, “a revered psychoanalyst in her day.” The name Hannah appears in several entries, including the stellar “Weird Menace,” a transcript of a conversation between an actress and her director as they rewatch their low-budget sci-fi B movie turned cult classic decades later. Park’s delightful tales, which are driven by provocative ideas, strange occurrences, and gripping plots, pay tribute to the legacy of Kurt Vonnegut in the best ways. This pitch-perfect collection will linger in readers’ minds for a long time. Agent: PJ Mark, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (July)