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Tales from the Escarpment (or Nearby) is a collection of short stories inspired by the lives of Baby-Boomers of the Niagara Region. A force to be reckoned with in their prime, the characters in these stories still exert influence, culturally and economically, as they age. And despite aging, they are determined to call the shots. They, like the 'Slow-dancin' Blue Haired Lady, practice self-determination even in the face of dementia. At favourite watering holes, like 'Pudgies', the music just gets better and better because geriatric musicians really know their stuff. The stories illuminate vivacious people with a zest for life and a continued appetite for experiences. Some stories highlight the value and reliability of long-term relationships. And other stories, like 'What Paulie Took Away', reveal the intersections where Boomer and other generations collide.
Marvon was artistic. He had taken a few ‘drawing from life’ courses in his youth so his nudes were certainly anatomically correct. Instructors complained, however, that they often bore little resemblance to the session’s actual model. But Marvon was sketching his ideal – the real played little part in the effort. He knew enough of current and historic tastes to understand that his might not be everyone’s ideal of womanly beauty but truly, he did not give a flying fuck. He framed and hung his sketches in every room of his newly renovated tidy bungalow for inspiration. Every morning while he ate his shredded wheat and rye bread toast, he planned his day’s foray: on any given Monday, he might haunt the Penn Centre. The next day he might check out a senior’s portrait-painting class. He knew she was out there somewhere, lioness to his hunter. Sweet little dimple-kneed doll to his gentle, protective and generous overlord.
"5*- Tackling the nitty-gritty issues of aging.
Fed up with stories that only seem to apply to young people? I know I am! As a woman in my forties, it can be hard to find literature that tackles the nitty-gritty issues surrounding aging. This was one of the reasons I was keen to get stuck into Tales from the Escarpment (or Nearby), Kathy McWilliam’s entertaining collection of short stories inspired by the Boomer generation in the Niagara region of Ontario.
First off, I found these stories to be totally and hilariously relatable! This collection made me feel a spectrum of emotions, carrying me along with its candid and lighthearted writing style that made me think about growing old in a new way. I found myself laughing one moment, then feeling poignantly thoughtful the next. For example, in the first story, “Slow-dancin’ Blue-haired Lady,” I was immediately drawn in by Marion, who’s trying to come to terms with her advancing age. The author reached out to me on a personal level, making me feel validated as an aging woman myself: “Where had her lips and eyebrows gone and what was that grim line from which her jaw hung?” However, the plot takes an unexpected turn at the end, which left me reflecting on the complex issues that affect older generations on a deeper level.
In terms of structure, an aspect of this anthology that I thought worked really well was the use of the third-person perspective. This meant I could gain access to the mindsets of many different (and delightfully eccentric!) characters. For instance, in “When Muriel Met Marvon,” I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about sixty-two-year-old Muriel’s hilarious experiences fending off an overenthusiastic suitor’s advances. The narrative delves in and out of both characters’ perspectives, which kept me engaged as a reader. Marvon holds an unrealistic picture in his mind when it comes to his perfect partner: “He knew she was out there somewhere, lioness to his hunter.”
One of my favorite stories is “Regrets, I’ve Had a Few,” mainly because it includes a woman who’s in my age bracket (i.e., perimenopausal!). Like many of the other characters, Izzy is struggling with the embarrassing and uncomfortable perils of aging; this down-to-earth description made me laugh out loud: “On Tuesday, she stroked her chin to see if she could get away with not plucking for one more day . . .” This story also contains a supernatural element, which got me thinking and also made me smile. This is something the author does well, I think: making the reader feel a variety of different emotions.
I can definitely see fans of short story collections written in a relatable and down-to-earth style enjoying Tales from the Escarpment (or Nearby)! The author’s candid and lighthearted approach made me feel validated and reached out to me on an emotional level. As such, I think older people with a sense of humor will certainly be drawn to this anthology!"
