Something Is Out There
By Richard Bausch
This new collection of Richard Bausch's short stories adds to the distinguished list of the author's previous publications: Spirits and Other Stories, Rare and Endangered Species, Wives and Lovers, and Peace (a universally acclaimed novel), among others. It is evident that Robert Bausch is a prolific writer, a deserving recipient of numerous prestigious
literary awards.
In a style that is simple, forthright and effective, Bausch writes about day-to-day life, ordinary daily occurrences, and the implications and impact these incidents have on human relationships. He touches everything with penetrating insight, whether it is friendship, adultery, love, and familial or romantic interaction. Throughout Something Is Out There, we see Bausch's superb skill, wit, humour and understanding.
Some of the more interesting short stories are:
The Reverend Thorhill's Wife - When Diana feels constrained in her sex life with her husband, a holy man, she surfs the Internet and discovers Nathan, a married man in a similar situation. The two arrange a tryst at her home and soon discover the fire and passion in sex that they were missing in life.
After the tryst, the same night, she makes love to her husband, not from any appetite, but seemingly from a subtle feeling of aberration to lighten the weight on her heart. As Reverend Thorhill makes love, he calls her, "My sweet angel!" What irony!
Immigration - This excellent short story features particularly strong characterization of Michael and Rita. But Bausch also successfully brings out the feelings of apprehension and nervousness they feel as they prepare for an interview with an immigration officer. The author captures the
temperamental differences between the two and knowingly writes of the tension and intolerance Rita and Michael experience as they deal with each other in an unenviable situation. Richard Bausch resolves the situation by causing Rita to break down; as the officer leaves them alone for a while they become sorry for the harsh and unkind words they had been using to hurt each other. Both make it up by using softer, kinder and sympathetic words.
Like a silver lining in a dark cloud, a dark, difficult situation may sometimes show one the light.
Something Is Out There -This short story, which lends its title to the collection, grips the attention through an atmosphere of fear and darkness. Paula's husband Kent is in the hospital after having been shot in the leg.
The person who shot him is in custody. Kent's Aunt Dora, his wife Paula, and their two children return from the hospital in a mean, dark and menacing storm. But soon after reaching the security of their home, the power goes out and they are plunged in dense, thick darkness.
Richard Bausch powerfully conveys how fear has gripped the heart of his characters. They are isolated, alone, and in the dark. Further, Dora's son was expected to arrive soon but they have had no word from him. Bausch then increases the tension by describing a vehicle passing on the road, its lights momentarily piercing the darkness. When it stops outside their home and they hear a knock on the door, the tension reaches fever pitch. The author's description of the stormy atmosphere outside and the overwhelming
atmosphere of insecurity, fear and apprehension inside makes Something Is Out There an extremely graphic and powerful story and demonstrates just how skilled an author Richard Bausch is.
Look for Something Is Out There: Stories in the adult fiction area of the Prince George Public Library.
Reviewed by Bal Sethi, a member of the Prince George Public Library board
The Mad Trapper: Unearthing A Mystery
By Barbara Smith
One of Canada's most famous unsolved mysteries is under investigation again.
In 1932, a man known as "The Mad Trapper" led RCMP on a seven week manhunt across Canada's Arctic. People all across North America tuned in on their radios to hear how a single man on snowshoes could evade highly trained police on dogsleds and in airplanes.
The Mad Trapper was eventually run to the ground, but not before wounding and killing several officers. In this book, author Barbara Smith accompanies a team of forensic experts and Discovery Channel filmmakers who want to get to the bottom of the mystery and find out just who the mysterious recluse was.
The Mad Trapper: Unearthing A Mystery can be found in the adult non-fiction area of the Prince George Public Library. The library carries two other titles about The Mad Trapper, too: The Death Of Albert Johnson: Mad Trapper Of Rat River in eBook format, and The Mad Trapper: The Incredible Tale Of A Famous Canadian Manhunt, also in the adult non-fiction section.
Reviewed by Rachel Huston, marketing and development assistant at the Prince
George Public Library
