MemoryWall:Stories

Fromanaward-winningandextraordinarilyeloquentauthorwhose"prosedazzles"(TheNewYorkTimesBookReview)comesasecondstunningcollection.Setonfourcontinents,AnthonyDoerr'snewstoriesareaboutmemory,thesourceofmeaningandcoherenceinourlives,thefragilethreadthatconnectsustoourselvesandtoothers.Everyhour,saysDoerr,allovertheglobe,aninfinitenumberofmemoriesdisappear.Yetatthesametimechildren,surveyingterritorythatisentirelynewtothem,pushbackthedarkness,formfreshmemories,andremaketheworld.Intheluminousandbeautifultitlestory,ayoungboyinSouthAfricacomestopossessanoldwoman'ssecret,apieceofthepastwiththepowertoredeemalife.In"TheRiverNemunas,"ateenageorphanmovesfromKansastoLithuaniatolivewithhergrandfather,anddiscoversaworldinwhichmythbecomesreal."Village113,"winnerofanO'HenryPrize,isaboutthebuildingoftheThreeGorgesDamandtheseedkeeperwhoguardsthehistoryofavillagesoontobesubmerged.Andin"Afterworld,"theradiant,catharticfinalstory,awomanwhoescapedtheHolocaustishauntedbyvisionsofherchildhoodfriendsinGermany,yetfindssolaceinthetenderministrationsofhergrandson.EverystoryinMemoryWallisareminderofthegrandeuroflife—ofthemysteriousbeautyofseeds,offossils,ofsturgeon,ofclouds,ofradios,ofleaves,ofthebreathtakingfortuneoflivinginthisuniverse.Doerr'slanguage,hiswitness,hisimagination,andhishumanityareunparalleledinfictiontoday.