Pumping Up Napoleon
by Maria Donovan
A collection of 15 short stories with an offbeat take on human relationships, this diverse compilation offers wry, humorous tales about universal themes—such as love, adolescence, death, and art—in settings that range from a realistic homestead to intergalactic space travel. The stories include bizarre and horrific situations that seem commonplace, where the boundaries between the real and the imagined are blurry. Donovan's understated style and well-crafted stories constantly surprise and engage, producing a hugely enjoyable and thought-provoking collection.