Typical

Twenty-three surreal fictions-stories, character assassinations, and mini-travelogues-from one of the most heralded writers of the American SouthThere are many things that repulse "e;Dr. Ordinary."e; "e;Kansas"e; is notable for its distinct lack of farmland. "e;Wayne's Fate"e; is most unfortunate, not merely for Wayne but for the roofer pal who stands by watching his good buddy lose his head. "e;Miss Resignation"e; simply cannot win at Bingo. And there is nothing "e;Typical"e; about the unemployed steelworker and self-described "e;piece of crud"e; who strides through this collection's title story. Welcome to the world of Padgett Powell, one of the most original American literary voices in recent memory. Typical is both a bravura demonstration of Powell's passion for words, and an offbeat, perceptive view of contemporary life an enthralling work by a one-of-a-kind wordsmith, and a redefinition of what short fiction can be.