After the Plague

and Other Stories

Few authors in America write with such sheer love of story, language, and imagination as T.C. Boyle, and nowhere is that passion more evident than in his inventive, wickedly funny, and widely praised short stories. In After the Plague, Boyle speaks of contemporary social issues in a range of emotional keys. The sixteen stories gathered here address everything from air rage to abortion doctors to first love and its consequences. The collection ends with the brilliant title story, a whimsical and imaginative vision of a disease-ravaged Earth. Presented with characteristic wit and intelligence, these stories will delight readers in search of the latest news of the chaotic, disturbing, and achingly beautiful world in which we live.
 
"Boyle's imagination and zeal for storytelling are in top form here."—Publishers Weekly©2001 T. Coraghessan Boyle; (P)2001 Books on Tape, Inc.

Excellent Listen

I've never been a fan of short stories, but Boyle is an amazing writer. Combined with the best narrator in the business, Scott Brick, this audio book was thoroughly enjoyable.

Great stories told with relish

A great collection of stories that was presented with lots of color and enthusiasm by the narrator. Lively, fun, poignant.

A matter of taste

To my taste, Mr. Boyle is simply the very best short story writer in the U.S. This book is not for everyone. It is for lovers of language, contemporary life, and a slightly twisted view of humanity. And Mr. Brick is the ideal reader. Enjoy!

""

Publisher's summary is way off mark. There is nothing "wickedly funny" in these stories and T.C. Boyle's world is not "achingly beautiful". The stories are about fundamentally amoral, mostly male, low-lives who predictably march toward a destructive end to the drumbeat of their self-righteousness. Certainly well written and narated, but gets old quickly. One or two of these in a diverse collection would've been good, but 13 hours of wallowing in self-pity gutter was too much for me.