Double Danish: Contemporary Short Stories from Denmark

Jean Free, a library consultant, is a retired public-school teacher and
librarian in Whitby, Ontario.

This anthology of 10 contemporary short stories from well-known Danish
authors addresses life in that crowded European community, with
particular focus on the frustrations of urban existence, the lack of
communication, and our longing for what we perceive we do not have.

“Do Not Cross the Tracks” reflects urban indifference and
isolation, as a suicide is watched by apartment dwellers who neither
know or care about their neighbors. “On the Way to the Cemetery” is
a strange story of a driver who kills a pedestrian and then replaces him
as husband, father, and employee. Other stories—of childbirth,
dancing, and frequently bizarre, unhappy relationships—are well
written and often unforgettable.

Elegantly translated by Per K. Brask, Double Danish is a startling,
thought-provoking collection of short stories that will both entice and
discomfort readers.