Tobias Wolff – författare

A story of siblings and faith from short-story master Tobias Wolff

Frances has always been protective of her younger brother Frank. The children of a brutal father and a sick, defenseless mother, Frances fought to keep her brother safe. And throughout all of his adult failings—from drug addiction to near-fatal car crashes—she has stood by his side.

Now Frank has found religion. Standing in his crisp white shirt and restrictive tie, he''s eager to recount last Sunday''s sermon to his older sister. As the sermon unfolds, the father must make a terrible choice—one that cuts deep for Frances. Can she and her brother withstand these new challenges?

A mother and her son dream of a life beyond their means in this classic short story by Tobias Wolff.

"Firelight" tells the story of a mother and her son who are spending the afternoon viewing apartments on a chilly day in Seattle, Washington. The two have no intention of renting one—they can only afford to live in a meager boarding house. Nevertheless, they spend every Saturday wandering through apartments and department stores, dreaming of a different life.

On this particular afternoon, their last stop is a beautiful Victorian home—far beyond anything they could ever afford. And for the first time, wishful thoughts blur with harsh reality as the son becomes entranced by the apartment and the life it represents.

The story of a book critic and his final thoughts from short-story master Tobias Wolff

Anders is an angry, cynical man. A book critic known for his scathing reviews, he finds any excuse to dismiss, belittle, or insult. This afternoon is no more agitating than the next. Angers finds himself in a long line at the bank, waiting to reach a teller. Even after two men—wearing masks and carrying guns—take control of the building, Anders is unfazed. It''s this behavior that lands him with a pistol against his stomach and a man screaming in his face. And when the bank robber, indignant over Anders'' behavior, shoots the book critic in the head, his mind floats through the memories of his life, settling on one particular event.

In this short story by the masterful Tobias Wolff, a teenage boy learns the joys—and struggles—of adult life.

Eager for independence and adult-like freedom, a teenage boy takes a summer job baling hay on a rural farm. Savoring the farm wife''s attention and the extra change in his pocket, the boy feels like a grown man. The fellow hands give him a sense of camaraderie—Clemson, a fastidious boy who attends the same high school; Eduardo, a talkative Mexican seasonal worker; and Miguel, a quiet man and Eduardo''s brother.

One night, after working the fields from dawn until dusk, Clemson and the boy drop the two brothers off at the decrepit hotel they live at during the summers. Eduardo invites the men in for a drink and they all accept. But the room is filthy and reeking of mildew, and as angry words lead to dangerous actions, the boy must face the reality of his situation.

Sergeant Morse is a risk-taker, playing chicken with the potential exposure of his sexuality. Julianne is looking for her brother, Specialist Hart, not knowing he''s shipped out to Iraq. In a surprising moment of tenderness, Sergeant Morse offers to help her, but whether due to fear of exposure or stubbornness, they might both be beyond rescue.

Maureen is an English teacher, and she''s had a long day. All she wants is a relaxing night out with friends, a few beers, and maybe the chance to forget the troubles of her past: the gambling ex-husband and the daughter who''d thrown her life away sleeping with married men. But her night—and maybe her life—is thrown off track when she leaves the bar and a man approaches her in the parking lot as she unlocks her car.

John didn''t want a dog. He wasn''t ready, he said. Grace, on the other hand, did want a dog, and when she brought Victor home from the pound, John made sure Grace knew it was her dog, her responsibility. But when Grace dies, John is left with just Victor and his grief, and he learns a new level of devotion.