Eyes: Novellas and Stories

<i>The point where an underground spring suddenly bursts to the surface is known as an eye. It is a place of mystery, where dry ground becomes soaked with life-giving water, and nature gives us a glimpse of all that happens out of the realm of human vision</i>. So begins William Gass's latest collection, with these evocative lines from Jan DeBlieu. What follows are six extraordinary works of fiction: stories and novellas that capture these moments of mystery and explore the hidden philosophical depths of everyday life as only Gass can. <br><br> &quot;Charity&quot; examines the roles of asking, giving, and receiving through the prism of a young lawyer who offers a simple gift. &quot;In Camera&quot; takes us into a photography shop owner's incomparable collection of images. &quot;Don't Even Try, Sam&quot; gives us the voice of the prop piano from Casablanca, and &quot;Soliloquy for a Chair&quot; is narrated by a folding chair in a barbershop that is ultimately fated for destruction. Incisive, darkly funny, formally innovative and linguistically stunning, <i>Eyes</i> is a tour de force of modern fiction.