The Crater of Orizaba and Other Stories, named a finalist in the Texas Review Press 2014 George Garrett Fiction Prize Competition, surveys regions where marvels are still possible, where confrontations between the local and the outsider succinctly reveal the territorial instincts that define our identities. Populated with wayward pilgrims, high altitude guides, convicts, geologists, urban guerrillas and assorted rogues well-versed in the art of subterfuge, these stories track characters who struggle to improve their lot in life by any means necessary.
REVIEW
"Powerful writing and exotic locales set the stage for author Bart Bonner to weave intriguing tales and complex characters into this diverse collection of short stories. A beautiful and significant work, always deeply human, Bonner's precisely drawn The Crater of Orizaba carries the reader on a magical, intimate journey to small villages and great cities, the domain of world travelers. Each finely sketched character lingers, their stories luring us to worlds we would rather not leave." - Charles Degelman, author, Gates of Eden, A Bowl Full of Nails