Out on Main Street and Other Stories

Susan Minsos teaches English at the University of Alberta.

This richly varied collection of short stories deals with a number of
subjects. “A Garden of Her Own” and “Lemon Scent” explore the
relationships of lovers: man and woman, woman and woman. The tenderly
narrated “Wake Up” concerns a little girl, her frightened mother,
and her wandering father. “Sushila’s Bhakti” focuses on identity,
while “The Bright New Year’s Eve” illustrates what drives a woman
to violence. “Last Day Pandemonium and Heart Beats” addresses
colliding and blending cultures.

In each story, the dialogue and narration ring true. Mootoo never
indulges in self-conscious artifice; her stories teem with humor,
pathos, wisdom, and verisimilitude.