{"product_id":"road-to-cosmos-bill-meissner-9780268035013","title":"Road to Cosmos: The Faces of an American Town","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn his second short story collection, Bill Meissner explores the consciousness of Cosmos, U.S.A, a small town that is anything but ordinary. Though it has its share of residents intent on keeping the world on an even keel, Cosmos is blessed with a healthy number of eccentrics who are chasing their dreams, idiosyncratic as they may be, or struggling to distinguish themselves as individuals. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe meet Duane, hoping to build a replica of Stonehenge with salvaged cars; Norm, the local weatherman, longing to be the first person to film the inside of a tornado; Elmo, a groundskeeper, seeking perfection on his baseball field; and Dolores--convinced Elvis is still alive--attempting to overcome the pain of her husband's desertion. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThreaded through the collection are poignant childhood memories told through the voice of Skip Carrigan, a native son, who left and returned years later. Skip's stories chronicle a sometimes tender, sometimes stormy relationship with his father; through Skip's mature perspective, Meissner artfully comments on the growth and change of America itself during recent decades. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe residents of Cosmos orbit the town like planets, some of them pulling away, others moving ever closer to its center. Cosmos, though a small Midwestern town, contains universal characters, each of them struggling to find order, love, and identity amid the chaos of their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Bill Meissner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0268035016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780268035013\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Notre Dame Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/15\/2006\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 204\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.75lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.10w x 0.53d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/15\/2006 pg. 805\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eUniv PR Books for Public Libry\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2007 pg. 1 - Strongly Recommended","brand":"Bill Meissner","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43946377576703,"sku":"9780268035013","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/products\/img_ba2da4dd-31bd-48a3-bb87-0f845c7caf8e.jpg?v=1681512803","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/road-to-cosmos-bill-meissner-9780268035013","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}