Overview

From MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow Kelly Link, bestselling author of White Cat, Black Dog and The Book of Love, an “eerie and engrossing” (The Washington Post), “dazzling” (The New York Times Book Review) collection of short stories   “[These] exquisite stories mix the aggravations and epiphanies of everyday life with the stuff that legends, dreams and nightmares are made of.”—Laura Miller, Salon, “Best Books of the Decade”   LOCUS AWARD WINNER • A TIME AND SEATTLE TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR   One of the most critically acclaimed collections of our time, Magic for Beginners is an exquisite, dreamlike dispatch from a virtuoso storyteller who can do seemingly anything. Kelly Link reconstructs modern life through an intoxicating prism, conjuring up unforgettable worlds with humor and humanity. These stories are at once ingenious and deeply moving. They leave the reader astonished and exhilarated. Includes an exclusive conversation between Kelly Link and Joe Hill

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9780812986518

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Reviews

“A sorceress to be reckoned with.”—The New York Times Book Review   “[Kelly] Link’s stories . . . play in a place few writers go, a netherworld between literature and fantasy, Alice Munro and J. K. Rowling, and Link finds truths there that most authors wouldn’t dare touch.”—Lev Grossman, Time   “She is unique and should be declared a national treasure.”—Neil Gaiman   “Funny, scary, surprising and powerfully moving within the span of a single story or even a single sentence.”—Karen Russell, The Miami Herald   “This is what certain readers live for: fiction that makes the world instead of merely mimicking it.”—Audrey Niffenegger   “[These] exquisite stories mix the aggravations and epiphanies of everyday life with the stuff that legends, dreams and nightmares are made of.”—Laura Miller, Salon, Best Books of the Decade   “A major talent . . . Like George Saunders, [Link] can’t dismiss the hidden things that tap on our windows at night.”—The Boston Globe   “The most darkly playful voice in American fiction.”—Michael Chabon   “I think she is the most impressive writer of her generation.”—Peter Straub   “Link’s world is one to savor. [Grade:] A”—Entertainment Weekly   “Intricate, wildly imaginative and totally wonderful . . . will fill you with awe and joy.”—NPR

PRAISE FOR MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS One of current fiction's little-known treasures, [Link] spins her stories in such charming, matter-of-fact tones that you almost don't realize you're entering a hybrid world that's part Muggle and part magic . . . Link casts her spells like an expert. -- Time A potent blend of horror and magic realism and postmodern absurdism . . . [Link's] stories combine the everyday with the bizarre to powerful effect . . .That sort of resonance, that lingering, haunting effect, is the product of real magic, and Kelly Link is no doubt a sorceress to be reckoned with. -- The New York Times Book Review

-A sorceress to be reckoned with.---The New York Times Book Review -[Kelly] Link's stories . . . play in a place few writers go, a netherworld between literature and fantasy, Alice Munro and J. K. Rowling, and Link finds truths there that most authors wouldn't dare touch.---Lev Grossman, Time -She is unique and should be declared a national treasure.---Neil Gaiman -Funny, scary, surprising and powerfully moving within the span of a single story or even a single sentence.---Karen Russell, The Miami Herald -This is what certain readers live for: fiction that makes the world instead of merely mimicking it.---Audrey Niffenegger -[These] exquisite stories mix the aggravations and epiphanies of everyday life with the stuff that legends, dreams and nightmares are made of.---Laura Miller, Salon, Best Books of the Decade -A major talent . . . Like George Saunders, [Link] can't dismiss the hidden things that tap on our windows at night.---The Boston Globe -The most darkly playful voice in American fiction.---Michael Chabon -I think she is the most impressive writer of her generation.---Peter Straub -Link's world is one to savor. [Grade: ] A---Entertainment Weekly -Intricate, wildly imaginative and totally wonderful . . . will fill you with awe and joy.---NPR A sorceress to be reckoned with. --The New York Times Book Review [Kelly] Link's stories . . . play in a place few writers go, a netherworld between literature and fantasy, Alice Munro and J. K. Rowling, and Link finds truths there that most authors wouldn't dare touch. --Lev Grossman, Time She is unique and should be declared a national treasure. --Neil Gaiman Funny, scary, surprising and powerfully moving within the span of a single story or even a single sentence. --Karen Russell, The Miami Herald This is what certain readers live for: fiction that makes the world instead of merely mimicking it. --Audrey Niffenegger [These] exquisite stories mix the aggravations and epiphanies of everyday life with the stuff that legends, dreams and nightmares are made of. --Laura Miller, Salon, Best Books of the Decade A major talent . . . Like George Saunders, [Link] can't dismiss the hidden things that tap on our windows at night. --The Boston Globe The most darkly playful voice in American fiction. --Michael Chabon I think she is the most impressive writer of her generation. --Peter Straub Link's world is one to savor. [Grade: ] A --Entertainment Weekly Intricate, wildly imaginative and totally wonderful . . . will fill you with awe and joy. --NPR A sorceress to be reckoned with. The New York Times Book Review [Kelly] Link s stories . . . play in a place few writers go, a netherworld between literature and fantasy, Alice Munro and J. K. Rowling, and Link finds truths there that most authors wouldn t dare touch. Lev Grossman, Time She is unique and should be declared a national treasure. Neil Gaiman Funny, scary, surprising and powerfully moving within the span of a single story or even a single sentence. Karen Russell, The Miami Herald This is what certain readers live for: fiction that makes the world instead of merely mimicking it. Audrey Niffenegger [These] exquisite stories mix the aggravations and epiphanies of everyday life with the stuff that legends, dreams and nightmares are made of. Laura Miller, Salon, Best Books of the Decade A major talent . . . Like George Saunders, [Link] can t dismiss the hidden things that tap on our windows at night. The Boston Globe The most darkly playful voice in American fiction. Michael Chabon I think she is the most impressive writer of her generation. Peter Straub Link s world is one to savor. [Grade: ] A Entertainment Weekly Intricate, wildly imaginative and totally wonderful . . . will fill you with awe and joy. NPR A sorceress to be reckoned with. -- The New York Times Book Review [Kelly] Link's stories . . . play in a place few writers go, a netherworld between literature and fantasy, Alice Munro and J. K. Rowling, and Link finds truths there that most authors wouldn't dare touch. --Lev Grossman, Time She is unique and should be declared a national treasure. --Neil Gaiman Funny, scary, surprising and powerfully moving within the span of a single story or even a single sentence. --Karen Russell, The Miami Herald This is what certain readers live for: fiction that makes the world instead of merely mimicking it. --Audrey Niffenegger [These] exquisite stories mix the aggravations and epiphanies of everyday life with the stuff that legends, dreams and nightmares are made of. --Laura Miller, Salon, Best Books of the Decade A major talent . . . Like George Saunders, [Link] can't dismiss the hidden things that tap on our windows at night. -- The Boston Globe The most darkly playful voice in American fiction. --Michael Chabon I think she is the most impressive writer of her generation. --Peter Straub Link's world is one to savor. [Grade: ] A -- Entertainment Weekly Intricate, wildly imaginative and totally wonderful . . . will fill you with awe and joy. --NPR PRAISE FOR MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS One of current fiction's little-known treasures, [Link] spins her stories in such charming, matter-of-fact tones that you almost don't realize you're entering a hybrid world that's part Muggle and part magic . . . Link casts her spells like an expert. -- Time A potent blend of horror and magic realism and postmodern absurdism . . . [Link's] stories combine the everyday with the bizarre to powerful effect . . .That sort of resonance, that lingering, haunting effect, is the product of real magic, and Kelly Link is no doubt a sorceress to be reckoned with. -- The New York Times Book Review PRAISE FOR MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS One of current fiction's little-known treasures, [Link] spins her stories in such charming, matter-of-fact tones that you almost don't realize you're entering a hybrid world that's part Muggle and part magic . . . Link casts her spells like an expert. -- Time A potent blend of horror and magic realism and postmodern absurdism . . . [Link's] stories combine the everyday with the bizarre to powerful effect . . .That sort of resonance, that lingering, haunting effect, is the product of real magic, and Kelly Link is no doubt a sorceress to be reckoned with. -- The New York Times Book Review PRAISE FOR MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS One of current fiction's little-known treasures, [Link] spins her stories in such charming, matter-of-fact tones that you almost don't realize you're entering a hybrid world that's part Muggle and part magic . . . Link casts her spells like an expert. -- Time A potent blend of horror and magic realism and postmodern absurdism . . . [Link's] stories combine the everyday with the bizarre to powerful effect . . .That sort of resonance, that lingering, haunting effect, is the product of real magic, and Kelly Link is no doubt a sorceress to be reckoned with. -- The New York Times Book Review

Author Information

MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow Kelly Link is the author of the collections Get in Trouble, Stranger Things Happen, Magic for Beginners, and Pretty Monsters. She and Gavin J. Grant have co-edited a number of anthologies, including multiple volumes of The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror and, for young adults, Monstrous Affections. She is the co-founder of Small Beer Press. Her short stories have been published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, The Best American Short Stories, and Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards. She hasalso received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Link was born in Miami, Florida. She currently lives with her husband and daughter in Northampton, Massachusetts.

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