The Point - Softcover

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Charles D'Ambrosio's short fiction is full of light and humour even in its darkest visions; these are stories of people struggling to wrest meaning from the tragedies that hover over their lives. Wise beyond his years, the adolescent narrator of the title story guides a drunk woman home along a beach and confronts the violent legacy of his family’s past. 'American Bullfrog' and 'Open house' are poignantly memorable stories of self-discovery, while in 'Jacinta', a woman dramatically changes the course of her life following a tragic rainstorm. Richly textured and finely poised, these fictions are written with a distinctive grace which reveals a landscape of arresting beauty.

‘Charles D’Ambrosio brings large ambitions and a versatile new talent to the short story form; whether in the tightly focused, gemlike 'The Point' – one of the best short stories I’ve read in years – or the muscular, long-distance narratives like 'Her Real Name' or 'Jacinta', he proves himself a significant new American voice.’
JAY McINERNEY

‘Pitched somewhere between Tom Waits and Raymond Carver, these tales evoke the poetic voice of the dispossessed.’
GRAHAM CAVENEY, 'Arena'

‘Charles D’Ambrosio makes his literary debut with a collection of stories as fluid and compelling as a river rushing into darkness… Dreamy end engrossing.’
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

‘Hard-boiled, lyrical stories… with this debut collection, D’Ambrosio proves himself with his ability to transform sorrow and loneliness into beautiful things.’
ESQUIRE

‘The precision of his prose, his tonal variety and light-handed gravity combine to make 'The Point' such an impressive collection.’
JAMES McMANUS, 'New York Times'