Overhead in a Balloon

“To take up residence in the mind of Mavis Gallant, as one does in reading her stories, is a privilege and a delight. . . . In the taut, high-wire literary performance in this volume, Mavis Gallant is at the top of her form.” —New York Times Book Review “This is a splendid collection . . . to be savoured and passed around to friends who appreciate slyness and who know about the little sadnesses which scar but do not kill.” —Washington Post Book World “Mavis Gallant’s fiction is among the finest ever written by a Canadian.” —Books in Canada “One of the great short story writers of our time.” —Bookseller (UK) “Mavis Gallant’s stories are so tightly constructed, their tone so wry that they need to be digested a little at a time, like a large piece of rich cake. And it’s hard to leave even a bit untasted.” —Newsday “Each story is a gem.” —Virginia Quarterly Review “Mavis Gallant is a master of contemporary prose and Overhead in a Balloon is a superb and triumphant collection.” —Chapel Hill Newspaper “[An] authority of presence coupled with Gallant’s Chekhovian eye for the intricacies of personal relationships has made Overhead in a Balloon an outstanding addition to her previous books.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette