''The Rainbow Stories'' is a collection of short stories about
American culture written by
William T. Vollmann
William Tanner Vollmann (born July 28, 1959) is an American novelist, journalist, war correspondent, short story writer, and essayist. He won the 2005 National Book Award for Fiction with the novel ''Europe Central''. and published in 1989. Written in the style of
narrative journalism,
it was his second published fictional work, preceded by ''
You Bright and Risen Angels
''You Bright and Risen Angels'' is a 1987 novel by William T. Vollmann, detailing a fictional war between insects and the forces of modern civilization. Vollmann described the book, his first, as "an allegory in part", inspired by his experience ...
''.
The book consists of thirteen interlocking stories (based on the colours of the rainbow) that range in scope from ancient
Babylon
''Bābili(m)''
* sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠
* arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel''
* syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel''
* grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn''
* he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel''
* peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru''
* elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
to modern
San Francisco.
wrote of the book that "Vollmann's verbal prowess, empathy, and astonishing range put him in a class apart from his contemporaries."
Robert Rebein described the book as a "real breakthrough"
for Vollman, stating: "
ainbow Stories isa book that mixed reportorial and fictional techniques to powerfully evoke the lives of
prostitutes
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
and
skinheads on the streets of San Francisco's
Tenderloin district."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rainbow Stories, The
1989 short story collections
Works by William T. Vollmann
Atheneum Books books