Into the Laughing Gas World

Summary

In this dazzling debut collection of realistic, speculative, and New Fabulist stories, Pushcart-Prize-nominated author Rin Kelly introduces readers to wax boys, sentient sex dolls, angels doing market research, gods transformed into sheep, and a man whose painful breakup is reported minute by minute by the 24-hour media cycle. Filled with wry humor, satire, and heart, Kelly's fiction depicts moments of estrangement from a reality that no longer feels real, warns us of near-future technological dystopias, reminds us of our shared humanity in the context of our mortality, and gives us a fresh appreciation for life's imperfect beauty.

These stories will appeal to fans of Aimee Bender, Kelly Link, Karen Russell, George Saunders, and Steven Millhauser. The collection is also a perfect way to introduce creative writing students to an author who writes across many genres, using tools and techniques unique to each while keeping her voice resonant throughout. In dark times, it is a must-read for keen insight, trenchant social satire, compassion, and life-giving humor.