GUATEMALAN RHAPSODY: STORIES by Jared Lemus
 
* About the book *
Ranging from a custodian at an underfunded college to a medicine man living in a temple dedicated to San Simon, the patron saint of alcohol and cigarettes, the characters in these stories find themselves at defining moments in their lives, where sacrifices may be required of them, by them, or for them.
In “Saint Dismas,” four orphaned brothers pose as part of a construction crew, stopping cars along the highway and robbing anyone foolish enough to hit the brakes. In “Heart Sleeves,” two wannabe tattoo artists take part in a contest, where one of them hopes to win not only first place but also the heart of his best friend’s girlfriend. And, in “Fight Sounds,” a character who fancies himself a Don Juan is swept up in the commotion of an American film crew shooting a movie in his tiny town, until the economic and sexual politics of the place are turned on their head.
Across this collection, Lemus’s characters test their loyalty to family, community, and country, illuminating the ties that both connect us and constrain us. Guatemalan Rhapsody explores how we journey from the circumstances that we are forged by, and whether the ability to change our fortunes lies in our own hands or in those of another. Revealing the places where beauty, desperation, love, violence, and hope exist simultaneously, Jared Lemus’s debut establishes him as a major new voice in the form.
 
* About the author *
Jared Lemus is an educator and fiction writer. His debut story collection, Guatemalan Rhapsody, was published with Ecco-HarperCollins on 03/04/2025. He is currently the Kenan Visiting Writer at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he is at work on his first novel. Jared is available for book clubs, readings, festivals, panels, and invited talks. (jaredlemus.com)
 
ISBN: 9780063381643
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 228
Language: English
Condition: Like New