How Do You Spell Beautiful

Patrick Lane's first book of fiction is finally out. How Do You Spell Beautiful (Fifth House) is, not surprisingly (if you know Lane's poetry), not for the faint of heart. These stories are well-written and fully realized, but tough (be warned): embedded in the archaic (to us city slickers) macho world of small town B.C.: pickup trucks, old cars, old-fashioned drinking and all that goes with it. The Nicola Valley enters into literature. Again: more, please.