Taboos and Transgressions Stories of Wronging is a must-read

The Anthology category is often a misunderstood form. The name blares, for Academics only,  and is happily passed over by mainstream readers. Stop right there. Tada!  I am pleased to announce that “Taboos and Transgressions Stories of Wrongdoings” has bridged that divide. Readers from all sides of the aisle can pick this up and find an excellent short story to read. The Anthology itself was inspired by author Joyce Carol Oats who gave a master class on the art of the short story. And to the editors sitting in her class, Joyce imparted the wisdom of successful Hollywood producers;

“There is a built-in audience for subject matter that is controversial, vulgar, awful, or unnatural.”

 That isbecause a lot of people can relate and need an outlet for their personal taboos.  And so this Anthology was born and well-edited by the very talented Luanne Smith, Devi S. Laskar, Kerry Neville, and winners judged by  Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of We Cast A Shadow. The stories are not as edgy as the title infers. I was not disgusted, nauseous, or filled with dread. If it took me there, I would have put the book down.  It was a wise choice to edit the Anthology that way, so hats off.

The cover by Jacqueline Davis is dynamic and matches the theme. It will stand out in your messy library and remind you of something good to read. 

Short story collections by the same author are always a good choice, especially for Ms. Oats. Still, with an anthology, you get a plethora of rhythmic patterns, and putting those patterns together into one large Sonata is the editor’s challenge; the order of things, the blending. A good anthology is like listening to a talented DJ. For the most part, I believe that was achieved. However, I think anthologies, in general, have to be more forward-thinking in terms of presentation if they want to capture a mainstream audience. And that will be reflected in my star tally, not the quality of the work itself. 

As a reviewer, it is disheartening for me to try to pick and choose one story out of a group of extremely talented writers with so much diversity in background and psychological makeup. But I will throw out some random titles: I Still like Pink, Goatmartie, Stroller, What was Ours, The Kiss, Lover. I wish the writers would have been encouraged to spend more time on their titles. “The Alcoholic Alphabet” stands out, and yes, a story is judged by its title, especially in anthologies. The title is the draw. That’s why I picked this up in the first place.

Overall, the content exceeded expectations. This is a perfect addition to your library. You can pick it up, flip through, and enter a world that you thought might exist…and is taboo!