In the Night Count the Stars
an uncommon anthology
Stories and images from corners of the world both odd and familiar are represented in this unique anthology, all inspired by an exotic handful of words from Jack Micheline’s magnificent poem Tale on a Slow Moving Freight (1988). Iran, Brooklyn, Germany, Italy, New York, France, England, Africa, Ohio, California and St. Petersburg come together in this e-book that defies description, offering 121 pages that spin a luminous web across our fractured, compartmentalized world.
The stories and images thrive independently, each defining “in the night count the stars” in their own way. In addition to well-crafted short stories and a stunning photo essay of rural Russia, there is a portentous restaurant receipt; a love letter; a mantra; a redacted document; a judicial order; a crime scene photograph. Many of the contributors hail from surprising origins – a court clerk, an oral surgeon, an expat, an assisted living worker and an Italian forest worker alongside well-established authors and artists, all juxtaposed with a celebration of their rough edges. Their differences deliver rare insights, often a revelation.
A word that originates from ancient Greece, anthology literally means “flower gathering.” That may well describe what our editors have to offer curious readers – a sincere bouquet of irresistible wildflowers - something a cantankerous beat poet like Micheline would passionately approve of.
There’s definitely a lot of underappreciated talent to be found within the pages of this anthology; if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, something to tease your neurons and rekindle your wonder at the beauty and simplicity of the human condition, try this one out.
- Janani Hariharan/ Bookish Reviews
