Title: Shillelagh Law: and other stories

Author: Joseph Ferguson

Rating: 5/5

Overview:

This eclectic collection of short fiction explores the human condition in all its absurdity, beauty, and heartbreak. Some are simple, uncomplicated tales; others are quirky or filled with symbol and allusion. Some are coming-of-age tales; some funny, some horrific. Still others examine themes of redemption or ruin. Written in a variety of styles and points of view, there are tales for every reader, and hopefully, a reader for every tale.

Review:

Joseph Ferguson is a master of the short story.  I have read many short stories and short story collections, but none of them have stuck with me as much as Ferguson’s writing.

His new short story collection, Shillelagh Law: and other stories, is a mix of many different stories that reflect the human condition and the experiences that we go through as humans.

Something about Ferguson’s writing just has a way with connecting to the reader, and his insights and descriptions demonstrate how flawed we as humans are.  When reading his short stories I felt as though I were reading poetry.

Ferguson’s writing is essential for vacation reading or for someone who likes to read in short bursts.  He reveals his characters and situations in a way that is artistic and reveals insights that are unseen to the eye.  It is clear to me that he is an artist, and I consider him an author who is essential to our current literary world.  His writing is comparable to that of the great classics, such as The Great Gatsby, and I am positive that his works will outlast our time.

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