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The Wonders of the Invisible World
David Gates. Vintage Books: 2000 (paperback). ISBN: 0679756442. 272 pages.
Guide not available
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The title of David Gates' fantastic new short story collection comes from the
title of Cotton Mather's famous commentary on the Salem witch trials of 1692, in which he describes the insidious devils
that plague the fallible New Englanders. How very interesting, you say, but what do some long-dead Puritan's freaky
obsessions have to do with Gates' book? Well, Gates is also interested in the insidious devils that plague fallible humanity,
but the characters in these ten absorbing stories, set in and around New York City, are tormented by the more common demons
that complicate present-day life. The narrators are, for the most part, highly intelligent, highly educated people who suffer
from a staggering surplus of self-awareness. They know how they got themselves into these situations. They can explain, in
gracious, humorous detail, how they've become the adults they never expected to be. But they can't quite seem to figure out
how to untangle themselves from the people, habits, and expectations that are distorting their lives. David Gates' uncanny
ability to capture the raw marrow of the most uncomfortable emotions can make you feel, well, almost uncomfortable. But you
can't help smiling in rueful recognition.
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