A New York Times Best Book of the Year: An arresting look at the way time can change family. One of the greatest strengths of Mavis Gallant's writing is her ability to distill a character's emotions into a simple moment-a lingering glance or an unuttered word. Her flair for detail is everywhere in evidence in Across the Bridge, studies of Montreal and Paris over the last century. The primary focus of this story collection is the Carettes, a family of French Canadians who relocate to Paris before World War II. The two daughters, Marie and Berthe, could not be more different: Marie is traditional and quiet while Berthe is strong willed and open minded. But as they grow together, the two learn how much they truly have in common. Accompanying these stories of the Carettes are tales of growth and isolation at home and abroad, including one of a rebellious French-speaking Canadian girl growing up in the Anglophone area of the city. Another entry is focused on an anthropologist who, on a trip to a small country, finds a group of people who speak a language no one has ever heard before. Unfortunately, when he announces his discovery, no one believes him. Gallant's snapshots of life abroad create an indelible impression on her readers.
"The title story [is] timeless as a fairy tale. . . . The material is a staple of popular romantic fiction, which Mrs. Gallant subverts with intelligence and wit. . . . This writer is a scalpel-sharp anatomist of stupidity. . . . She has few equals. One story here, 'Forain,' is as close to perfection as possible, a marvel of wit, feeling and tact in which each detail is exact and telling. That and
The New York Times Book Review
"[Gallant's] finely honed prose captures the small details that illuminate a life. This collection will add to her deserved reputation as a superb practitioner of her craft."
Publishers Weekly
"[Gallant's] prose is exceptional in its easy finesse."
