<div><p><b>“The stories in <i>Acts of God </i>are great postcards from the world of Ellen Gilchrist. It’s a world of war and strife and surprises, and it is, yes, marvelous to behold.” —<i>The New York Times Book Review</i></b></p><div><p>Celebrated short story writer Ellen Gilchrist, winner of the National Book Award for<i>Victory Over Japan, </i>returns with her first collection in more than eight years. In<i>Acts of God, </i>she has created ten diverse scenarios populated by characters dealing with forces beyond their control, yet somehow managing to survive, persevere, and triumph--even if it is only a triumph of the will. Wholly believable characters in all-too-real situations are given vivid life in these stories told with Ellen Gilchrist’s clear-eyed optimism and salty sense of humor.<br><br><b>“A master of short fiction . . . [Gilchrist] is as sharp, funny and insightful as ever.” —<i>The Atlanta Journal-Constitution</i><br><br>“Gilchrist still has the power to turn a simple line into a profound insight on what it’s like to be human.” —Flavorpill.com<br><br>“Reading Ellen Gilchrist is addictive . . . Her new work is filled with good people who show fortitude and even heroism under duress . . . In this age of edgy irony, her warm-hearted view of humanity is refreshing.” —NPR.org<br><br>“Gilchrist is at her best when the wry and satirical mood strikes her . . . and it’s a pleasure to report that the best of the stories in<i>Acts of God</i> rank with the best in her first collection and in her second, . . . for which she was awarded a richly deserved National Book Award.” —<i>The Washington Post</i></b><br></p></div></div>