'Oates's imagination is as unique, dystopian and vivid as Lewis Carroll's' ROSE TREMAIN 'A master storyteller' THE TIMES 'Electric' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Zero-sum games are played for lethal stakes in these arresting stories by one of America's most acclaimed writers. A brilliant young philosophy student bent on seducing her famous philosopher-mentor finds herself outmaneuvered; diabolically clever high school girls wreak a particularly apt sort of vengeance on sexual predators in their community; a woman stalked by a would-be killer may be confiding in the wrong former lover; a young woman is morbidly obsessed by her unfamiliar new role as "mother." In the collection's longest story, a much-praised cutting-edge writer cruelly experiments with "drafts" of his own suicide. In these powerfully wrought stories that hold a mirror up to our time, Joyce Carol Oates has created a world of erotic obsession, thwarted idealism, and ever-shifting identities. Provocative and stunning, Zero-Sum reinforces Oates's standing as a literary treasure and an artist of the mysterious interior life. 'Alluringly dark and spiky' NEW STATESMAN 'Zero-Sum is brilliant - bloodied, breathless, weird' A. K. BLAKEMORE 'Dark, unsettling stories ... There's a disquieting violence simmering ... a shrill alarm of disquiet' DAILY MAIL 'Oates is an inspired writer, and a formidable psychologist' INDEPENDENT
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates is an acclaimed American author known for her prolific career spanning over five decades. She has written numerous novels, short stories, essays, and plays that explore themes of violence, power dynamics, and the complexities of human relationships. Oates is often praised for her dark and intense writing style, which delves into the darker aspects of human nature.
Some of Oates' most notable works include "We Were the Mulvaneys," "Blonde," "Black Water," and "The Falls." She has received multiple awards for her work, including the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction.
Oates' impact on the literary world is undeniable, as she has influenced countless writers with her bold storytelling and keen insight into the human psyche. Her most famous work, "Blonde," a fictionalized account of the life of Marilyn Monroe, solidified her reputation as a master of American literature. Joyce Carol Oates continues to be a prominent figure in contemporary literature, inspiring readers and writers alike with her powerful and thought-provoking narratives.
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