Why are Canadians so good at writing short stories? Alexander MacLeod, with his richly textured narratives about the difficulties of being human, is a case in point. Flawless in design and spiked with humour, the eight tales in Animal Person are a tour de force. This collection is MacLeod’s follow‑up to his Giller-shortlisted debut, Light Lifting, published in 2010, and in it, he shows the same fineness of insight and fiercely high level of accomplishment.
The stories in Animal Person present a master class in understatement. Most begin in the middle of a situation, then widen in scope and complexity. In the subtly unsettling “The Ninth Concession,” a great deal is happening behind the scenes without being stated outright. Belatedly, you realize that the adolescent narrator who changes into his swimsuit on the patio is being watched by Mr. Klassen from his second-floor office. You realize too, or at least you think you do, why Mr. Klassen’s son...
Allan Hepburn is the James McGill Professor of Twentieth-Century Literature at McGill University.
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