The Animal Room

From the award-winning author of The Wonder Garden comes a set of linked stories spotlighting human-animal relationsand revealing the tensions that threaten to fracture a suburban New England community

Tensions simmer in small-town Connecticut. A city transplant is haunted by the deer carcass hanging in her neighbors garage. A psychiatric patient believes shes becoming a bird. A disgraced oil executive invites his granddaughters kindergarten class to tour his home menageriewhat could go wrong? Rumors spread and fires burn in this second short story collection from award-winning author Lauren Acampora.

As in Acamporas debut The Wonder Garden, The Animal Room delves deep into the town of Old Cranbury and its eclectic mix of residents. Incisive and moving, these stories chart the interconnected lives of neighbors, relatives, coworkers, enemies, lovers, and the animals around them, turning an unflinching eye to the natural world to shed light on human nature. Through its riveting ensemble, The Animal Room paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of contemporary American life that is strikingly unique.