The Other Language

The acclaimed author of Rules of the Wild gives us a lively, poignant, brilliantly observed new collection of stories: explorations of the power of change—in relationships, geographies, and across cultures—to reveal unexpected aspects of ourselves. Here is the most evocative and immediate work yet from a writer hailed by The New York Times as “a natural-born storyteller”—and adored by readers for her global sensibility, humor, and narrative flair. Taking us to Venice during film festival season, a sun-drenched Greek village at the height of summer holidays, and a classical dance community in southern India, these stories sparkle with insight, pitch-perfect dialogue, and surprising twists. A woman celebrates professional success by impulsively buying a Chanel dress she can barely afford. A teenage girl contends with her mother’s death while trying to impress a first love. A couple gives in to the urge to wander as they approach midlife. In all of these remarkable stories, characters take risks, confront fears, and step outside their boundaries into new passions and destinies. Enlivened by Marciano’s vivid and clear eye on love and betrayal, politics and travel, and the awakenings of childhood, The Other Language is a tour de force that illuminates both the joys and ironies of self-reinvention.