The Light, the Dark, And Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus
Whew. When I mentioned this book in an earliar blog, I thought I had put myself in a bind. What if this book is not well written, how will I review it, since the author is a friend. I write this with a large sigh of relief, not needing to lie or write around the edges.
This book is not one that can be read in one sitting.
Each story doesn’t end with the last page because each story continues on within the reader long after the last word. Thought- provoking stories that leave the reader for pause and reflection. I reread each story twice.
Often, an anthology of short stories written by one author, falls into having the same story line and story structure, almost predictable and even boring. Each story is different in this collection. There are an assortment of characters, dialects and settings. What amazes me is Nicklaus is able to develop definite character within a few pages merely by dialog alone. Many touched me deeply as in “One Washington Diner.”
Nicklaus is a craftsman and artist when it comes to the use of language. Powerful, terse and beautiful language resulting in images that are simply beautiful and strong. He’s a good story teller.
I always told my students that if they came across a book and felt they wanted to meet the author, that’s a good book. This is one of those books. Enjoy.
