The Lifeguard

Winner of the Rome Prize in Literature, Mary Morris is a consummate storyteller and a skilled literary craftsman. Her sensitive short stories have appeared in such publications as The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and Vogue. In the title story, an 18-year-old lifeguard faces both a crisis and an awakening that send him over the threshold between adolescence and adulthood. In 'The Snowmaker's Wife,' a lonely woman is haunted by suspicions about her husband's loyalty and about her own perceptions, as well. In 'The Wall,' a brightly colored mural takes on a life of its own and threatens to destroy a marriage. Listeners will find that this unique and talented blend of three distinct narrator personalities, all approved by the author, powerfully captures the tone and flavor of each story. Each voice adds insight into the crises, yearnings, and uncertainties of a variety of realistic characters