Face - Alice Munro

I read a lot, and I like most of the things I read. Partly because I usually choose to read works by authors that either have been revered for at least fifty years, or works by new authors that are highly acclaimed. I would say there is only about one in ever ten works I read that I don't like.

But once in a while, about one in fifteen or twenty, do I come across a work that reminds me why I read.

I subscribed to The New Yorker a couple of months ago, but I don't really have time to read it. I try to at least catch all the fictions, but usually I wouldn't get to read them until a couple of issues later. Last night I read Alice Munro's Face, which was published in the September 8th issue. (I'm not sure if it has been published before; Munro is a regular contributor to the magazine.) And it was just that kind of work. The story is about a boy with a birthmark on his face and is childhood friend. It is bittersweet and heartbreaking. And it reminds me of the magic of fiction, the magic that makes me love to read and write fiction.

Alice Munro

The only other story by Munro that I have read is How I Met My Husband. I enjoyed that one but don't think is half as impressive as Face. If you like Munro, or are looking for something amazing to read, Face is available to read for free on The New Yorker website.