The Theory of Light and Matter

This debut collection of stories introduces a new and distinctive voice in American fiction. Winner of the Flannery O'Connor prize for short fiction in 2007, Porter has a unique and quietly heartbreaking range, examining everyone from small children to the disappointed adults they become. This might sound depressing, but there are sly seams of humour running through all of the stories, and moments that suggest that things aren't quite as broken as they seem.

If there is a theme to all of these stories it's that one has to live with one's decisions - no matter how lightly or seriously taken. The title story, 'The Theory of Light and Matter', concerns a woman still yearning for a man she once might have loved, yet did not pursue; in another, 'Azul', a childless husband and wife try desperately to fill the void they both occupy; in 'Storms' a family is falling apart years after the man of the house dies. These are people battling their demons, and not always winning.

It's usual to compare short story writers to the great modern American writers such as Cheever and Carver, and there is a similarity in Porter's simple, unadorned prose. But crucially Porter has his own voice, his own style and one that suits these stories perfectly. Even if you usually wouldn't consider a collection of stories, you really need to read The Theory of Light and Matter.