Having written more than eight novels, including My Amputations and
Dirty Bird Blues, alongside a dozen books of poetry, Chicago Heat and
Other Stories is Clarence Major's second work of short fiction and
first book with Green Writers Press.
Chicago Heat and Other Stories employs a gorgeous purity and
simplicity of language in a series of masterful stories exploring human
interaction. Each narrative voice comes forward all at once, individual
and complete, without obstacle or complication, enabling the reader to
see the characters and feel their emotions. Major does not shy away from
the bitter or the harsh; we get to hear it all. Like paint on an easel
he blends lyric harmony with moxie and the blunt with the beautiful. The
imagery is completely accessible and generously given. Toni Morrison
comes to mind. His work is like jewels.