{"product_id":"near-strangers-paperback","title":"Near Strangers - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFeatured in \u003ci\u003eElectric Lit\u003c\/i\u003e's \"15 Small Press Books You Should Be Reading This Winter\" \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e Winner of the 2023 Autumn House Fiction Prize, \u003ci\u003eNear Strangers\u003c\/i\u003e is a collection of eight tightly crafted short stories that follow unexpected connections and tell of queer life in America.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAward-winning author Marian Crotty's sophomore collection centers on resilient female protagonists and offers a view into queer life and love outside of its major coastal cities. The characters in Crotty's collection are searching--for understanding, acceptance, or forgiveness. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the title story, an elderly rape crisis volunteer's advocacy for a survivor leads her to reexamine her role in estrangement from her son; in \"Halloween,\" a queer teen is counseled through heartbreak by her unlucky-in-love grandmother; and in \"Family Resemblance,\" a group of families whose children share the same sperm donor is disrupted by the arrival of a minor celebrity. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile marginalization, loneliness, and bigotry hover in the distance of Near Strangers, the book's tone is hopeful and invites readers to reflect on our shared human experience with empathy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51374623588575,"sku":"9781637681008","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/kFAcNphgOu9781637681008.webp?v=1789182495","url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/products\/near-strangers-paperback","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}