News from Tumble River

Michael Power is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

These charming short stories tell of the goings-on in Tumble River, a
puny community somewhere in western Canada. The collection is strongly
reminiscent of W.O. Mitchell’s Jake and the Kid; quirky little
snippets are plucked from the lives of the town’s eccentric population
and told from an insider’s perspective.

The stories often sound like tall tales or rural folklore. One tells of
a group of aging scientists who are harboring an Avro Arrow airplane in
a remote part of Saskatoon, waiting to unleash it on an unsuspecting
Ottawa. Another recalls the time Elevator Washburn had to barber
spray-painted cattle all night, cutting their coats with scissors and a
comb. Then there is the drinking contest between Tumble River and Fort
Fromage, featuring a most unlikely contestant.

Hudson seems to have a genuine love for the characters he writes about.
News from Tumble River is an easy book to enjoy.