Michael Martone Livres

From memoir to journalism, personal essays to cultural criticism--this anthology brings together fifty works from all genres of creative nonfiction. --from back cover

The narrative vividly brings to life various Midwestern locales, including Fort Wayne, Peru, Elkhart, and Indianapolis, through the unique perspectives of notable figures like Colonel Sanders, Alfred Kinsey, and James Dean's high school English teacher. The author employs a distinctive mix of irreverent humor and sharp realism, creating an engaging exploration of these places and personalities.

Exploring the rich tapestry of the Midwest, this collection features lyrical narratives that blend reality with fantastical elements. The author, known for their imaginative storytelling, crafts compelling characters and vivid settings that capture the essence of the region. Themes of identity, nature, and the human experience resonate throughout the fables, inviting readers to reflect on the interplay between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Each piece showcases the author's unique voice and mastery of the craft, making for an engaging literary experience.

An updated edition of top-selected short fictional works features a spectrum of stylistically and culturally diverse U.S. and Canadian authors

Delving into the overlooked sections of literature, this work invites readers to discover the often-ignored elements of books, such as acknowledgments, footnotes, and indexes. With a playful tone, it uncovers the hidden gems and quirky insights found in these neglected pages, revealing the rich tapestry that surrounds the main narrative. This exploration celebrates the joy of reading beyond the text, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the entire book experience.

In Plain Air: Sketches from Winesburg, Indiana, Michael Martone places steady fingers on the arrhythmic pulse of the Flyover as he conjures Winesburg, Indiana, a fictional town and all of its inhabitants' lyric philosophies, tales of the mundane, and the sensation of being "lost" in the heart of the heart of the country. But here, in over one-hundred and thirty short fictions, even as there is much sadness, the citizens continue to tinker and create, marvel and wonder in the midst of ruin and rust. These stories may capture lives of quiet desperation, but in so doing, they create a kind of hobbled poetry in the spontaneous sketches of the ordinary made extraordinary, the regular irregularities, the familiar knocked off-balance with a glancing blow. From the overly overworked City Manager, to Margaret Wigg's obsessively collected collection of library stamps, to Blanche's air-filled aluminum ice cube tray, the town is a community of everyday odd-balls rife with isolation and idiosyncrasy. They are people trying to get by; that question loss as well as passion, devotedness, childhood wonder, and kinship in their observations and daily routines. With undeniable humor, intelligent quirk, and earnest longing for a pastoral passing into the annals of deep Midwestern time, Michael Martone crafts an unforgettable panoply of characters whose perspectives invite us to alternatively interpret our own commonplaces.

Blurring the lines between reality and imagination, this travel book presents a whimsical exploration of Indiana, featuring bizarre attractions such as the Hoosier Infidelity Resort Area and the National Monument for Those Killed by Tornadoes. Michael Martone invites readers to discover a quirky landscape filled with unique events like the Annual Eyeless Fish Fry and odd culinary tips. With a blend of humor and creativity, the narrative answers both common and obscure questions about this fascinating state.

Sure to become the "contemporary canon, " this remarkable collection of 50 stories presents a diversity of voices, themes, and writing styles that is unique among contemporary short-fiction anthologies.

Four is the magic number in Michael Martone’s Four for a Quarter. In subject—four fifth Beatles, four tie knots, four retellings of the first Xerox, even the sex lives of the Fantastic Four—and in structure—the book is separated into four sections, with each section further divided into four chapterettes—Four for a Quarter returns again and again to its originating number, making chaos comprehensible and mystery out of the most ordinary.

Fictitious biographical snippets that celebrate the sky-written words of early aviation and the life of the man behind them.