Anthony Doerr’s elegant prose is captivating in The Shell Collector. His attention to detail and his vast knowledge is impressive. First of the seven stories, also the title of the book, is about a blind shell collector, who lives in East Africa on an Indian Ocean beach.
The second story, “The Hunter’s Wife,” tells about a woman with extraordinary visions and the resulting gap this special talent creates in their relationship. The third story, “So Many Chances,” is about a family who moves from Ohio to Maine and the new world the young daughter discovers.
The fourth story, “For a Long Time This Was Griselda’s Story,” is about normal people in Idaho encountering an extraordinary man with a rare talent. Pure love, resentment and rage simmer in this tale. In the fifth story, “July Fourth,” a group of American anglers and a group of British sport fishermen have a lively feud. It’s Limeys vs Yanks, Old World vs New.
The sixth story, “The Caretaker,” begins in Liberia, Africa and ends on the coast of Oregon. This story is one of my favorites, possibly because it begins in West Africa where we served in the Peace Corps. As in life, the story centers on three truths: order, chance, fate.
The last story, “A Tangle by the Rapid River,” toggles between Africa and Ohio, between a world where things grow wild, where you can hear insects sing, and a place where everything is cement, soot and noise.
The Shell Collector is a collection of stories to cherish and to remember.
I like short story collections and this one sounds like a fascinating variety. I’m hoping that it is on Kindle.
Actually, I’m not usually a short story enthusiast, but I did enjoy this book, which was a gift. It is available on Kindle.