Join us at Flour and Salt Bakery on Tuesday, October 3rd at 6:30pm for a book reading by Colgate author Greg Ames! Copies of his books will be available for purchase.
Vivid, witty and surprising, Greg Ames’s stories will move you in unexpected ways.” —Claire Messud, author of The Burning Girl
“Funeral Platter is a wonderful, witty collection of very funny and unusual short stories. Its singular characters, truly inventive premises, and manic, propulsive prose make for breakneck reading. Yet, without you knowing how it happened, these stories become genuinely insightful about our darkest secret: our loneliness.” —Dana Spiotta, author of The Innocents and Others
From the author of the award-winning novel Buffalo Lockjaw comes a powerful collection of darkly humorous short stories. A young girl uses a burnt log for her ventriloquist act; Franz Kafka and an unnamed narrator cruise a dive bar for women; a grieving couple stage and execute their own funeral; a son brings hot chowder to his caged parents. This stunning collection—packed with moments of violence and tenderness—explores the humor and unease of modern life. Since he first began publishing his fiction, Greg Ames has been praised for his willingness to take risks and the strength and freshness of his voice. Assembled here for the first time, this collection brings together the best work from a brilliant American writer, a playful and innovative artist. In these twenty original short stories, Greg Ames earns his place as one of the best writers of his generation.
In the tradition of Etgar Keret, Greg Ames’ prose style ties together the absurd hilarity and deep anguish of contemporary life. These wildly inventive stories will appeal to readers who thirst for a unique, deeply humane voice.
Greg Ames is the author of Buffalo Lockjaw, a novel that won a NAIBA Book of the Year Award. His work has appeared in numerous journals, magazines, and anthologies, including Best American Nonrequired Reading, Southern Review, McSweeney’s, North American Review, Catapult, and The Sun. He splits his time between Brooklyn and Hamilton, New York, where he is an associate professor at Colgate University.