Alice Munro, uznávaná kanadská autorka, majstrovsky zachytáva zložitosť ľudských vzťahov prostredníctvom všedného života. Jej poviedky, v ktorých často skúma hĺbku každodenných zážitkov, jej vyslúžili prezývku "kanadská Čechovová". Munro sa vo svojej tvorbe sústreďuje na jemné nuansy medziľudských interakcií a odhaľuje ich univerzálnu rezonanciu. Jej literárny prínos spočíva v schopnosti premeniť zdanlivo obyčajné okamihy na hlboko pôsobivé príbehy, ktoré skúmajú ľudskú skúsenosť.
Ďalšie poviedky kanadskej laureátky Nobelovej ceny, v ktorých nazriete do kuchyne osudu. Tam, kde vznikajú životné príbehy z náhod, krutých žartov a láskavých podrazov. Onkologická pacientka pobozká tínedžera a vydoluje zo seba vôľu žiť. Stará dievka, ktorú už všetci odpísali, vycestuje za ctiteľom, ktorý o ňu vlastne nikdy neprejavil záujem, a vyhrá celoživotné šťastie. Dej plynie, postavy sa mu poddávajú, no potom sa vzbúria – zakaždým inak, ako by ste čakali.
Poviedky svetoznámej kanadskej autorky sú o ženách aj o mužoch, o láske aj nenávisti, ale predovšetkým o tesnom susedstve dobra so zlom. V titulnom príbehu Láska dobrej ženy objavia chlapci z malého mesta mŕtvolu muža a prežitá hrôza ich navždy poznačí. Ešte väčší šok však čaká na ženu, ktorá si uvedomí, kto nebohého zabil. Cíti povinnosť konať správne a plánuje, ako dostane vraha do rúk spravodlivosti. Ale keď uskutoční to, čo zamýšľa, bude sa ešte môcť nazývať dobrou?
Poviedky o láske a jej zradách a prekvapeniach. Ženy každého veku a v rôznych životných situáciách, ich priatelia, milenci, rodičia a deti... všetci ľudia, o ktorých Alice Munroová píše, v jej rukách ožívajú. Má vzácny dar – príbehy pôsobia tak skutočne a nezabudnuteľne, ako keby ste ich prežívali na vlastnej koži. Na motívy troch poviedok z tejto zbierky (Šanca, Už čoskoro a Mlčanie) nakrútil španielsky režisér Pedro Almodóvar film Julieta (2016).
Zmena v živote prichádza, keď ju človek najmenej čaká. To isté platí o príbehoch Alice Munroovej. Ľudia v nich žijú, akoby o tom ani nevedeli, a zrazu sa im stane niečo dramatické, bláznivé, tragické či smiešne. Rodiny sa spájajú a rozpadajú, láska vybuchuje ako sopka a presúva celé kontinenty alebo sa vášeň mení na pokojnú rezignáciu. Kanadská spisovateľka opisuje všetky tieto príbehy s rovnakým zaujatím, akoby sa aj v tom najnenápadnejšom osude ukrývalo tajomstvo vesmíru.
Georgia incontra Maya a una cena, sono entrambe «mogli» e si riappropriano del loro essere donne diventando migliori amiche. Fino a quando Georgia non conosce un uomo e Maya tradisce la sua fiducia, o forse la mette soltanto di fronte alla realtà. Non si parleranno più. Brenda invece ha un amante, Neil, lo incontra di nascosto in un bosco, dentro a un furgone e questo basta a entrambi, sembra perfetto. Poi qualcosa si incrina, lui non lo capisce ma Brenda sa che finiranno con l'odiarsi, e che quella loro passione è destinata a svanire. Anita e Margot invece si rivedono dopo anni, sono state inseparabili, il passato le ha divise ma in quello stesso passato forse ritroveranno il bisogno l'una dell'altra. In questa raccolta di racconti, la settima di Alice Munro, ci sono i paesaggi senza fine del Canada e le donne e gli uomini che in tutto quello spazio si avvicinano, si feriscono, si lasciano e poi continuano a vivere. E c'è la scrittura di un'autrice che raggiunge una consapevolezza e una maturità assolute, ed è in grado di definire con un dettaglio l'essenza di una vita.
Open Secrets , Alice Munro's eighth book, consists of eight matchless stories, each one as rich as a full novel. All of them provide compulsive reading – and rewarding re-reading. " Perhaps you will be surprised to hear from a person you don't know and that doesn’t remember your name ." These intriguing words begin a letter dated 1917 to the Librarian in Carstairs, Ontario (the heart of "Alice Munro Country"). The letter sweeps us away into a world of secrets and revelations where nothing - not even a courtship by letter that leads, over time, to a solid marriage - is as it originally seems. The Ontario stories range from "A Wilderness Station" which gives an account of an 1852 tree-felling accident and sheds light on the harsh life of the pioneers, all the way to the present, where family names known to us appear again in a world of TV shows and snowmobiles. Just as the stories range back and forth in time, they also travel far to distant settings. Much of "The Albanian Virgin" is set in a remote mountain area where a Canadian tourist in the 1920s is captured by bandits; her tale of escape is comforting to a Victoria bookseller escaping from her own former life. "The Jack Randa Hotel" brings a deserted wife in cold pursuit to Australia, which leads to another intriguing letter. "Dear Mrs. Thornaby, It has come to my attention that you are dead…" Things that cannot be explained happen here. In the title story a lawyer's wife has a flash of insight - illogical, unprovable and terrifying - into the fate of a missing teenager; in another, the appearance of a long-dead visitor reveals the grip of a former love. Yet the true magic lies in the way that Alice Munro makes everything here - unexpected marriages, elopements, acts of sudden vengeance - unfold with the ease of the inevitable. This is the mark of a great writer, and it is stamped on every page of this book. From the Hardcover edition.
Short Stories. This first-ever selection of Alice Munro's stories sums up her genius. Her territory is the secrets that cackle beneath the facade of everyday lives, the pain and promises, loves and fears of apparently ordinary men and women whom she renders extraordinary and unforgettable.
** Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature ** 'Munro is still one of our most fearless explorers of the human being, as she descends, time and again, headlamp on full beam, pickaxe and butter-knife at the ready' The Times Spanning her last five collections and bringing together her finest work from the past fifteen years, this new selection of Alice Munro's stories infuses everyday lives with a wealth of nuance and insight. Beautifully observed and remarkably crafted, written with emotion and empathy, these stories are nothing short of perfection. A masterclass in the genre, from an author who deservedly lays claim to being one of the major fiction writers of our time.
"From the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature ... a new selection of her ... short fiction, gathered from the collections of the last two decades, a companion volume to Selected stories (1968-1994)"-- Dust jacket flap.
