Happy Book Birthday to RADIUM GIRL by Sofi Papamarko, out today from Buckrider Books!
“The stories in Radium Girl are majestic, thought-provoking worlds unto themselves, full of wit, humour, big ideas and superlative writing. If there’s any justice in the world, Sofi Papamarko’s brilliant creations will find a wide, dare I say viral, audience not only amongst aficionados of the short story form, but readers of all stripes.” – Andrew David MacDonald, bestselling author of When We Were Vikings
“So many of these stories lingered with me, whispering in my ear long after I’d finished reading them. They unsettled and alarmed me. Some characters in Radium Girl are trapped in unbearable circumstances. Others say or do upsetting things, or think disturbing thoughts. But Sofi Papamarko has an enormous heart, so she manages – skillfully, tenderly, magically, and with fierce humour – to reveal the deep, yearning humanity in everyone within these pages.” – Jessica Westhead, author of Worry and Things Not to Do
“Sofi Papamarko is a brilliant observer of her world.” – Dennis Bock, author of Going Home Again and The Ash Garden
Radium Girl is a collection full of dark wonder where Sofi Papamarko explores the boundaries of love, death, loneliness and justice. In these twelve deft stories, we are introduced to a cast of unforgettable characters: Margie and Lu, teenaged conjoined twins; Rosie who cruises funerals; Pete the predatory magician; the subconscious mind of Marie Curie; Elda the Radium Girl and many more. These are magical stories; they twist and turn in unexpected ways, leaving the reader sometimes shocked, sometimes delighted and often breathless. With pitch-perfect writing, Papamarko shows us how human beings cope, break and triumph in the face of often unbearable circumstances.
Sofi Papamarko is a former regular columnist for the Toronto Star, Sun Media Newspapers and Metro Canada. She’s also written for the Globe & Mail, Chatelaine, Flare, CBC, Reader’s Digest, Salon, Exclaim! and many other publications, both living and dead. Her short stories have appeared in Taddle Creek, Maisonneuve, Room and the Toronto Star. She lives in Toronto with her partner and his son. Sofi is represented by Samantha Haywood.