In a cultural moment where folks are stripped of the their dignity or shed it willingly, the figures in this book wonder at the utility of maintaining their own. There's a touch of Hamlet's question in there along with some I Ching. Can monkeys pray? Are we better off living in the real world or a speculative one?
Through an essay, a novella, and short and flash fiction pieces, A Terrifying Brush with Optimism is at once leaping, thoughtful, diverse, comic, and brooding.
Past Praise for Brian Leung's World Famous Love Acts:
"Each story asks a pointedly difficult question: What happens when we let our most coveted relationships deteriorate under the stress of plain ol' everyday living? Leung reveals a plethora of fascinating answers with beautiful, concise prose and unwavering empathy."
--Entertainment Weekly
"In his first book, a collection of remarkable short stories, Leung depicts a dispersion of townsfolk. . . .Each character's intimate tale hints at traversing spaces--physical, emotional, or cultural--and yet many are connected to the simple, almost mystical town of Blue Falls."
--Out Magazine