Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

John Rowell's The Music of Your Life is a glorious discovery, a first collection of short stories from an author to watch. Raised in North Carolina, now living in New York, he's put together a set of seven stories, most of which have direct ties to NC, all of which have direct ties to feeling out-of-the-loop, and all of which feature gay protagonists. Rowell's writing reminds me of David Sedaris without the tartness and with some added sweetness, replacing the vinegar with sugar and a dollop of melancholy. The tone is somewhat wistful, always respectful of each story's characters, and the writing is wholly delectable. Music is an utterly stellar debut; I can't wait to read more from this tremendous newcomer. Read this book.