Crows

Mozart, Wisconsin's most renowned raconteur and local eccentric, Ben Ladysmith, vanished two years ago following a tragic boating accident. Obsessed with the disappearance of his friend and former professor, unemployed sportswriter Robert Cigar moves into the missing man's home-to the dismay and annoyance of Ladysmith's wife and three children. Though uninvited and unwanted, Robert is determined to keep Ben's spirit alive, to share Ben's elusive, hypnotic crow fables with the family that never hear them...and to solve the mystery that lies at the bottom of Oblong Lake-and, in the process, subtly, inadvertently and extraordinarily alters the household...and himself.

About the Author :
With seven highly acclaimed books to his credit, Charles Dickinson takes American fiction back to the complexity of modern life and love with his characteristically incisive irony and humor. Critics have compared him to such masters as Margaret Atwood, Ann Tyler, Michael Crichton and Raymond Carver. His stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire and The Atlantic, among others, and two stories, "Risk" and "Child in the Leaves," were included in O. Henry collections. He has received generous praise for his novels, Waltz in Marathon, Crows, The Widows' Adventures, Rumor Has It, A Shortcut in Time, and its sequel, A Family in Time, and his collection of stories, With or Without. Born in Detroit, Dickinson lives near Chicago with his wife.

Review :
"An elegant invention by a writer with impressive talents. . . . Crows presents its world with an understated wit and poetry." - Philadelphia Inquirer "The title refers to the crow stories that Ben Ladysmith . . . was forever telling. The crow stories are charming and touching, as is Mr. Dickinson's novel. He has gotten hold of something special. One looks forward to following wherever it will take him. There are many passages of impressive writing. . . . Mr. Dickinson's knowledge of the Northern Middle West is sharp and authentic. . . . What most comes alive in Crows is this authenticity of landscape and of the seasonal and social cycles of a small Wisconsin town. Funny. . . . Taut. . . . Charming and touching. . . . So original that comparisons are useless." - New York Times "[Dickinson] has gotten hold of something special. . . . Funny. . . . Taut. . . . Charming and touching. . . . So original that comparisons are useless." - New York Times "Charles Dickinson is certainly one of the best novelists to appear in the last few years. Crows is both highly entertaining and significantly moral fiction." - Grand Rapids Press "Scattered throughout the book are the legends Ben created and embellished with each telling: enthralling, hauntingly suggestive tales of the world of crows. . . . Like Kurt Vonnegut or John Irving, Dickinson is attracted to and has a talent for creating believable and charming eccentrics. . . . In Crows he treats each of his characters with both sympathy and affection. He cares about them all. . . . Because he cares enough to make them all engaging characters, we care, too." - Chicago Tribune "With its full set of unusual, offbeat characters, its intensely interesting story development, and its brilliant flights of fancy, Crows is a piece of fiction well-conceived and exceedingly well-told." - Chattanooga Times "A totally involving narrative, displaying a gently ironic humor and an instinct for the mysteries of human relationships. Dickinson is a talented writer who deserves a wide audience." - Publishers Weekly "A strong, original work by one of American fiction's most promising talents." - Kirkus Reviews "Like Kurt Vonnegut or John Irving, Dickinson is attracted to and has a talent for creating believable and charming eccentrics. . . . Because he cares enough to make them all engaging characters, we care, too." - Chicago Tribune "As a storyteller, Charles Dickinson can hold his own with almost anyone. He has a nice feel for language, a good eye for detail, and an appreciation for subtlety. And when it comes to understanding the human condition, Dickinson is pretty good in that department, too." - Newsday "Dickinson is a subtle, sensitive writer. . . . Ben's true legacy to Robert, the strange, lyrical fables of crow society, is also Dickinson's legacy to us, for the mystery of these tales lingers long after the closing page." - San Francisco Chronicle "Dickinson explores family dynamics, the nature of grief, and the seasons of small-town life with a light, deft hand. Full-bodied characters course through this captivating novel of eccentricities and poignant realism." - Booklist "Interspersed among the entertaining and provocative events of the novel, the folk tales become the thematic overview of Robert's quest." - Boston Herald "Dickinson has demonstrated a remarkable and prodigious imagination in Crows. Indeed, the crow tales alone are worth the price of admission. They are delightful, moral stories that complement a skillful narrative." - Kansas City Star