Bin Laden's Bald Spot & Other Stories

The title of Doyle's third collection of (often very) short stories reflects his humorous approach to topics such as terrorism, religion, and infidelity. Conveying more sentiment and humor in a few paragraphs than many writers do over several pages, Doyle (Mink River) introduces a slew of memorable characters, including a man who purports to be the official barber of al Qaida in the title story (clearly written before bin Laden's assassination in May 2011). In "King of the Losers," the 16-year-old narrator kidnaps his 4-year-old niece and 1-year-old nephew to rescue them from social workers. In "AAA Plus," a broken-down car leads Doyle's narrator to expound on the merits of expanded coverage offered by the American Automobile Association, while "The Man Who Wanted to Live in the Library" needs no explanation. With deft versatility, he counters those pieces with gut-wrenching war stories, a diatribe against pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and a moving take on teen pregnancy. Doyle skillfully plays with words and phrasing, stringing intricate narratives through paragraph-long sentences and, in one lengthy piece, even uses the ampersand as a plot device. (Oct.)