In Search of and Others by Will LudwigsenMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I share the author's obsession with the old In Search of... series starring Leonard Nimoy, and Ludwigsen does a wonderful job writing pieces that resonate with that vibe. It also seems he and I share some other interests and experiences in common: with Appalachia, the mental health profession, and--if the multiple appearances of dead people in rivers are any indication--Raymond Carver's story "So Much Water, So Close to Home."
My issue was that, with exceptions, my general reading experience was that of being told. Yes, I realize that may even have been the point. Heck, in the story "We Were Wonder Scouts," we're told a story which has a scene in which a secondary character tells a story. But the approach is double-edged. There's no question Ludwigsen has mad storytelling skills. But I didn't always feel the sort of tension I like to feel in short-short stories.
The exceptions really touch me, though. "Mom in the Misted Lands" had such a poignancy in its telling and in its theme. "The Ghost Factory" hit a different spot, giving me a (pleasantly!) sickening "There, but for the grace..." feeling.
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