{"product_id":"road-to-cosmos","title":"Road to Cosmos","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn his second short story collection, Bill Meissner explores the consciousness of Cosmos, U.S.A, a small town that is anything but ordinary. Though it has its share of residents intent on keeping the world on an even keel, Cosmos is blessed with a healthy number of eccentrics who are chasing their dreams, idiosyncratic as they may be, or struggling to distinguish themselves as individuals. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe meet Duane, hoping to build a replica of Stonehenge with salvaged cars; Norm, the local weatherman, longing to be the first person to film the inside of a tornado; Elmo, a groundskeeper, seeking perfection on his baseball field; and Dolores—convinced Elvis is still alive—attempting to overcome the pain of her husband's desertion. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThreaded through the collection are poignant childhood memories told through the voice of Skip Carrigan, a native son, who left and returned years later. Skip's stories chronicle a sometimes tender, sometimes stormy relationship with his father; through Skip's mature perspective, Meissner artfully comments on the growth and change of America itself during recent decades. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe residents of Cosmos orbit the town like planets, some of them pulling away, others moving ever closer to its center. Cosmos, though a small Midwestern town, contains universal characters, each of them struggling to find order, love, and identity amid the chaos of their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Bill Meissner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43571974078646,"sku":"9780268035013","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0251\/4980\/0541\/files\/9780268035013_f9e5128a-f64d-472a-9361-19f85b5c4942.jpg?v=1726822684","url":"https:\/\/combined-academic.myshopify.com\/products\/road-to-cosmos","provider":"Combined Academic Publishers - Mare Nostrum Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}