Man and His World

Jere D. Turner is Adult Collections Co-ordinator, Regina Public Library.

Although each of these finely crafted stories is complete in itself,
there are common threads that bind them together as a whole. The main
characters are all men near the end of their rope, who are searching for
some elusive purpose in their lives. Having a succession of lovers,
changing jobs, or moving to different countries are some of the means by
which they undertake this quest.

Blaise exploits the theme of travel in five of the stories. For
example, in the excellent title story, William Logan resigns from his
job, kidnaps his son, and ends up traveling in India. Here he meets a
minor rajah, and a woman he once knew from Canada. The story is at once
mundane, exotic, and mysterious, with an ending that will alarm. The
hero of “Did, Has, Was” is a foreign correspondent who decides to
retire from a life of travel and one-night stands, only to become
embroiled with an old flame.

Two other stories should be mentioned for their peculiar, if not eerie,
quality. “Meditations on Starch” concerns an international family
and their different views of various countries, which are symbolized by
rice, potatoes, and corn—the “starch” that holds the story
together. In “The Love God,” the father of a child turns out to be a
horse! The mythological atmosphere in this story is palpable and at
times outrageous.

An exceptional collection of short stories by one of the masters of the
genre.