Tunneling to the Center of the Earth: Stories by Kevin Wilson
This debut short story collection from Kevin Wilson stands as a remarkable entry in contemporary American fiction. Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award, this collection features strange and imaginative narratives that move seamlessly between reality and fantasy, the ordinary and the extraordinary.
Award-Winning Short Fiction
Kevin Wilson's characters exist in a world where the mundane transforms into the fantastic. In "Grand Stand-In," readers meet an employee of the Nuclear Family Supplemental Provider, a company that supplies replacement grandparents for families dealing with deceased, ill, or difficult relatives. "Blowing Up On the Spot," singled out by Ann Patchett for Ploughshares, follows a young woman sorting tiles at a Scrabble factory after her parents spontaneously combust.
Southern Gothic with Contemporary Edge
These stories exemplify Southern gothic fiction at its finest, infused with both humor and pathos. Wilson explores the complex relationship between loss and death, examining the various ways people attempt to cope with grief and absence. His narrative style draws comparisons to Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, and George Saunders, placing him among the most inventive voices in contemporary short fiction.
Part of Ecco's Art of the Story Series
This edition returns to print as part of Ecco's prestigious "Art of the Story" Series and includes a new introduction from the author. The collection established Wilson's reputation before he went on to write the New York Times bestseller The Family Fang and Perfect Little World.
About Kevin Wilson
Kevin Wilson is the author of multiple acclaimed works including The Family Fang, adapted into a film starring Nicole Kidman, and story collections Baby, You're Gonna Be Mine. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee, with his wife and two sons. His work consistently explores themes of family, loss, and the strange beauty found in everyday life.
This paperback edition offers readers an entry point into Wilson's distinctive literary universe, where the boundaries between the real and imagined blur in surprising and affecting ways.
