The Middle Stories

Toronto, ON: House of Anansi Press. Fine with no dust jacket. 2001. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Tiny, closed tear to the publisher's paper band.; Thirty, tiny, quirky essays from this frequent contributor to McSweeny's. The essays span a mermaid in a jar, newly created fairy tales, a frog that gives relationship advice to a plumber, love, bad love, sex, “the littlest dumpling who had never been told his name,” and many that are depressive and matter of fact without making an obvious point or having a moral resolution. Sheila Heti's writing is unique. Five essays are reprinted from McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, Issue 4. The author has signed "love Sheila" in pen on the title page with a hand-drawn potted plant, "April 2003.", and the inscription "for a man with flowers and ties[?]. Includes ephemera: two stiff, paper hang tags. Each has a different, halftone, monochrome reproduction of do-it-yourself photo booth picture of Heti. The backs of the hang tags have autograph notations in her tiny hand: "Exhibit E" on one, "The New Glasses" on the other. Book design by Bill Douglas at Anasi. Printed on machine-made paper with text set in Bembo and titles in Joanna types. Color photos span endpapers and pastedowns, the front being a couple drinking beer and the rear being an airport baggage carousel. Gold ribbon marker bound in. Bound in black, laid paper over boards. Title in gilt to spine and front with Heti's illustration of a frog. Includes the publisher's paper band around the rear cover. No dust jacket, as issued. Book and ephemera are in clean, Fine condition. A book of quirky, bite-sized essays to amuse and/or puzzle you. ; Small 8vo 7½" - 8" tall; 3-144,[1],[1] pages; Signed by Author .