Greenwood

Greenwood is a book full of relatable, entertaining, and quirky characters, most of whom are just like people the reader knows personally or has met, regardless of their origins whether it's New York, Kansas, Ohio, or California. That's because these characters are simple, good-hearted people driven by common and predictable human weaknesses, a predilection that often leads them to make baffling choices in their lives.Why did Merle Flack, in the story "Sara Jean's Bees," decide to put an active beehive in the backseat of his car and drive it to his sister's new home when he had a deathly fear of bees. And what made Robert Lee Johnson in the story "A Game of Chess" decide to hike the Appalachian Trail when he absolutely hated everything about camping, including sleeping on the ground? Another narrative fiber is a sense of belonging and place, something the characters allude to often. For example, Hamilton Green, a returning prodigal son in the signature story "Greenwood" notes that returning to Greenwood after years away makes him feel "grateful and perhaps a little sad. Gratitude on the one hand for the sweetness of my life and its meaningful, deep connections, and on the other hand, loss, regret, and sadness for abandoning the warm embrace of my family and community for all these years." In the end, perhaps readers should think of Greenwood less as a book of connected short stories and more as a welcoming invitation to come home for a long overdue visit.