Trace, Log, Text, Narrative

The saga of King Arthur and his knights and ladies is perhaps the most enduringly popular mythic tradition of Western civilization. For over 1500 years, the Arthurian narrative has enthralled writers, artists, and a limitless audience in countries spanning the Western world and beyond—and its appeal continues unabated in our own times.

Fourteen stories, many of which are set in the American West, trace the paths of ordinary people as they make their way in the world.
With a full range of narrative techniques, the fourteen stories in this volume explore the arcs people trace as they make their way in the world. Miles Wilson's compelling narrative presents characters at crucial moments in their trajectories, when the nature and outcome of their lives can be illuminated. Though built out of the texture of ordinary life, these stories concentrate their focus where the luminous intersects the commonplace.

A Buddhist monk searches for mystical texts. French lords and ladies tell stories to pass the time. African warriors fight against European conquerors. These and other fascinating stories stem from some of the world's greatest literary masterpieces. Yet as different as they are, each reflects a common impulse: our need to tell stories. Whether around the campfire, between the covers of a great book, or in the theater, this urge to express life's meaning is a human constant.