National Network for Equitable Library Service

In this latest short-story collection Josip Novakovich explores the shallow roots of emigration as he traverses North America from university post to writing residency. These stunning stories showcase the author at his most intimate, taking on an aura of memoir as they invite us into the privacy of his family experiences. Above all, Novakovich is in search of a natural existence, whether it be living close to the land or raising animals. The author of the critically acclaimed Ex-Yu, which illustrated the lives of those scarred by the Balkan wars, here revels in the rootlessness of America and its wide-open spaces. As a companion to Ex-Yu (2015), Tumbleweed reveals a rarefied author who is as capable of warming readers’ hearts as he is of probing the depths of global despair. Praise for Ex-Yu: “It’s refreshing to encounter an author whose work engages with the world beyond the solipsistic purview of selfhood, and which treats mortality in a serious way.” –Pasha Malla, The Globe and Mail “Ex-Yu is packed with … images that can take your breath away.” –Ian McGllis, Montreal Gazette “A consistently intriguing collection.” –Jim Bartley, Quill & Quire