Gleason (English, Cardinal Stritch U.) introduces readers to Boyle's (b. 1948) short stories, and then to his novels decade by decade from the 1980s to the 2000s. He says the novelist, having studied history, argues that fiction writers should contextualize their characters in specific eras of American history and use satire as a moral force to improve society. He also shows how he thinks of fiction writers as performers and entertainers who need to interact regularly with their audience in public. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)