The Secret Society of Demolition Writ..., Elizabeth McCracken
The Secret Society of Demolition Writ..., Elizabeth McCracken
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The Secret Society of Demolition Writers

Author: Elizabeth McCracken, John Burnham Schwartz, Alice Sebold, Michael Connelly, Rosie O'Donnell, Marc Parent, Lauren Slater, Sebastian Junger, Anna Quindlen, Benjamin Cheever, Aimee Bender, Chris Offutt

Narrator: Ellen Archer, Alan Sklar

Unabridged: 7 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/01/2005

Categories: Fiction, Anthologies


Synopsis

What would you write if no one knew who you were?

In the spirit of the demolition derby, where drivers take heedless risks with reckless abandon, welcome to the first convocation of the Secret Society of Demolition Writers. Here is a one-of-a-kind collection by famous authors writing anonymously–and dangerously. With the usual concerns about reputations and renown cast aside, these twelve daredevils have each contributed an extreme, no-holds-barred unsigned story, each shining as brightly and urgently as hazard lights.

Unconventional and unapologetic, this publishing equivalent of a whodunit features an eclectic group of fictional characters, including a delusional schizophrenic narrator, an egg donor with second thoughts about her decision, a pharmacist who forms a weird crush on a woman who beat both of her parents to death, and a little girl who understands that an old safe is the threshold to another, ghostly, world. Equally diverse and surprising are the authors themselves: Aimee Bender, Benjamin Cheever, Michael Connelly, Sebastian Junger, Elizabeth McCracken, Rosie O'Donnell, Chris Offutt, Anna Quindlen, John Burnham Schwartz, Alice Sebold, Lauren Slater, and Marc Parent, the editor of the collection. Never before has such a wide-ranging and talented group of authors been assembled to such explosive and entertaining effect.

The Secret Society of Demolition Writers is an intriguing puzzle in itself, but it's also an important addition to the careers of some of our finest storytellers–even if we never really know who wrote what. Its boundary-smashing fiction offers exhilarating proof that for an artist, withholding your identity can mean gaining your freedom.

About Elizabeth McCracken

Elizabeth McCracken is the author of eight books, including The Hero of This Book, The Souvenir Museum (long-listed for the National Book Award), Bowlaway, Thunderstruck & Other Stories (winner of the 2014 Story Prize and long-listed for the National Book Award), and The Giant’s House (a National Book Award finalist). Her stories have appeared in Best American Short Stories, won three Pushcart Prizes, a National Magazine Award, and an O. Henry Prize. She has served on the faculty at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and currently holds the James Michener Chair for Fiction at the University of Texas at Austin.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Marcia on May 21, 2017

Multiple authors anonymously write short stories for the collection. The idea being, that anonymity will give them the freedom to write with abandon. Maybe that build- up was bound to lead to disappointment. And granted, it can be difficult for a short story to build a lot of steam but I normally en......more

Goodreads review by Andrea on March 06, 2023

The idea behind this anthology is intriguing, twelve known authors each submit a story but the reader is not told which author wrote which story, but none of the stories really wowed me—only one was even memorable.......more

Goodreads review by Rosanne on November 22, 2024

This was a publicity stunt to sell a book and nothing more. This was a collection of stories that could have been more compelling, and many were difficult to get through. While the concept seemed sound enough, the stories were highly forgettable. It would be fun to do it amongst friends and then fig......more

Goodreads review by Mrs. on December 16, 2020

Liked the concept, really enjoyed some of the stories. I’d love to know who wrote "Wonderland" so I could immediately read more of her/him. "Sweet" and "A Country Like No Other" are also recommended.......more

Goodreads review by Poptart19 (the name’s ren) on June 06, 2024

3 stars......more