Calloustown

Rich characterization is the highlight of this vivid collection of 15 short stories about life in a small South Carolina town. Singleton's stirring examination of the unusual Calloustown residents is filled with fresh, surprising, and striking descriptions that are at once sweet, odd, sad, and humorous. In "These Deep Barbs Irremovable," large-breasted Adazee is described as having a "scoliosistic future teeming with greedy chiropractors and hyperbolic support-brassiere manufacturers." This and similar descriptions of characters rife with flaws, and a town so dismal that "General Sherman swerved away" because "he didn't see it fit to waste fire on," endear them to the reader and make the town charming in its own way. Told mostly in first person by an older male narrator who often references his wife, the stories are connected by people and places, such as Worm and his watering hole called Worm's. Singleton captures truisms about human behavior: in "When It's Q&A Time," young Reed is able to keep quiet about his shocking interaction with a neighbor, but he doesn't hesitate to air his father's dirty laundry. Singleton's collection offers a refreshing and engaging perspective on a small town's humanity. (Nov.)