Even relatively simple folk can have surprising secrets, as Laird Hunt (In the House in the Dark of the Woods; The Evening Road) dramatizes in Float Up, Sing Down, an intricate tapestry of 14 interlocking stories set in rural Indiana two years into Ronald Reagan's first term. Characters from Hunt's novel Zorrie make cameos in these pieces, each one told from a different perspective. Stories begin with homespun details before easing toward edgier revelations. Consider Candy Wilson, who is about to host a meeting of the Bright Creek Girls Gaming Club, "the apex of the yearly club calendar," but forgot to buy paprika for her deviled eggs. Hunt turns a simple story of Candy's trip to the grocer's into a tragic tale of the high school French teacher who carried a secret to her death.
Most stories follow a similar pattern: quotidian details leading to shattering disclosures. Turner Davis, who retired after 35 years as a high school custodian because of "a heart that wouldn't behave," spends his days planting zinnias while quietly regretting not having pursued a more artistic career path. A retired farmer who never married can't shake memories from his time overseas in World War II. A right-wing young man who replaced his "Honk If You Love Jesus!!!" poster with "Honk If You Love the Gipper!!!"--a reference to Reagan's nickname--steals into the barn to try on his mother's dresses. Hunt's slow-build approach to storytelling makes these characters' lonely lives all the more poignant. Rural life is anything but mundane in these pitch-perfect stories. --Michael Magras, freelance book reviewer