The Lines
“A master of narrative control, Varallo creates the kind of page-turning suspense you don’t expect in a book like this . . . A darkly cutting investigation of dysfunction in which the kids, more often than not, are way sharper than the parents.”
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Everyone Was There
“In his collection Everyone Was There, Anthony Varallo turns his wonderfully inventive eye toward a world we both recognize and that shimmers at the edge of our consciousness. These terrific and original short stories explore the strangeness and tenderness that co-exist in everyday life, and they are full of mystery, humor and compassion.”
Karen E. Bender, author of Refund: Stories
Think of Me and I’ll Know
“There’s nowhere to hide in these ten perfect stories; tense, unforgettable scenes unfold to reveal the vulnerabilities we can name but can’t correct. We betray, we are betrayed, we bite, we cry, we embrace our tormentors; in other words, this brilliant collection tells us, we are heartbreakingly and incontrovertibly human. Prepare to stay up late reading, and to pass this book along to everyone you know.”
Julie Orringer, author of The Flight Portfolio
Out Loud
“Out Loud is a beautifully written collection filled with the familiar. We understand these characters because they are our friends, our children, and ourselves. We see our neighborhoods and our attempts at human connection. In this extraordinary collection, we see ordinary life.”
Mid-American Review
This Day in History
“I loved reading these stories. Varallo captures perfectly the bafflement of the young as they move among adults who are often in pain. There is a humanity and beauty here, as well as that deft twist of the unexpected phrase that makes reading such a pleasure.”
