The Imaginary Lives of Mechanical Men: Stories

by Randy F. Nelson

Book Overview

The mechanical men in these stories--Industrial Age holdovers, outsiders wanting for relevance and respect, or overwhelmed people who confuse the certainties of one reality with the doubts of another--are cut off in some way from contemporary culture.

Sometimes in these stories, which Randy F. Nelson calls "thought experiments about values in conflict," the characters are like the Native American prison guard in "Escape" Rifkin thinks that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0820344435
• ISBN13: 9780820344430
• Release Date: October 2012
• Publisher: University of Georgia Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Like a Kid in a Candy Shop--A Variety of Voices

The 13 stories in this collection are the perfect size for me and my definition of short story reading: easily devourable in one short sitting. What I am most fascinated about with Nelson's collection is the sheer variety of voices that he chose. We have men and women from a sundry of backgrounds and each drawn out in full, even if--at times--, some of the stories themselves leave me craving more. These are the voices of your average folk, for the most part, and a joy to read. By far my favorite story in this collection is _The Cutters_. I was at first a bit thrown off by the use of several voices to create the story but the subject matter is so fascinating that I couldn't put the story down. To give you an example of the author's skill I will quote from my favorite story, "Sam finally shuts out the chaotic sounds and studies the other faces around him, finding the same plea. On an old man with stick-thin arms, a farmer perhaps, worn down by rock-filled fields. On a young woman, heavily pregnant and sitting along." And it goes on much further from there. I definitely recommend this short story collection.

Depth and Sensitivity in "Imaginary Lives"

I found myself drawn in and intrigued by "The Imaginary Lives of Mechanical Men" - a complex and nuanced work. The author creates each tale as something of a mystery, requiring the reader to engage in the story in order to discover its meaning. Reading it does require some effort - no skimming pages in this one - yet I found myself completely engaged in characters drawn with utmost sensitivity. Nelson's characters face life-altering events which all of us face at one time or another - yet too often neglect to comprehend or analyze. The author's sensitivity toward his characters brings his readers to a deeper understanding of life, its depth, and its tragedies.