{"product_id":"carnival-of-reality-a-collection-of-short-stories-9781627203814","title":"Carnival of Reality: A Collection of Short Stories","description":"Allison Whittenberg's characters have a lot of soul. They're riled up, outspoken, and sometimes even silent, in which case, they're still saying a lot. They're convincingly alive and they come at you from the page. In this brilliant mid-career collection, Whittenberg's \u003cem\u003eThe Carnival of Reality \u003c\/em\u003einvestigates the complexities in human relationships from a decidedly black woman's perspective. In the first engaging story, \"Ride the Peter Pan\" touches on gender and elements of racial bias. You will root for main character Arna--and her journey as she comes to terms with the aftermath of date rape. In another absorbing story, \"Choice\" a single mother is faced with a Hobson's choice as she is faced with the possible increase to her family. Her ultimately aching decision is a most realistic one. \u003cbr\u003eWhittenberg's writing is thick with zany and fearless elements in \"The Sane Asylum.\" The humor is there, mingled with the desperation in Lucy, a mother trying desperately to keep her rebellious, head strong son from a conscription notice. Another highlight is \"Why Didn't You Call Me, 9\/11?\" the story of Jean who lives with her mother in a far from the Twin Towers small town. She is in a go nowhere interracial relationship with a commitment phobe engineer and must reckon with her loneliness and her place in the world.\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Loyola College\/Apprentice House\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/05\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781627203814\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 180\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.47lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.38d","brand":"Allison Whittenberg","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41635509928117,"sku":"9781627203814","price":14.44,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_8d8050b1-52d1-495e-af85-4568edf7ceee.jpg?v=1645502058","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/carnival-of-reality-a-collection-of-short-stories-9781627203814","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}