{"title":"April Ayers Lawson","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"virgin-book-april-ayers-lawson-9781847085603","title":"Virgin","description":"Set mostly in the American South, at the crossroads of a world both secular and devoutly Christian, April Ayers Lawson's stories evoke the inner lives of young women and men navigating sexual, emotional, and spiritual awakenings.   In 'The Negative Effects of Homeschooling', Conner, sixteen, accompanies his grieving mother to the funeral of her best friend Charlene, a woman who was once a man. In 'The Way You Must Play Always', Gretchen, a thirteen year old who looks even younger, heads into her weekly piano lesson in nervous anticipation of her next illicit meeting with her teacher's brother, Wesley. 'Vulnerability' charts the edgy attraction a promising young artist begins to feel for her art dealer.  And in the title story, 'Virgin', Jake grapples with the growing chasm between him and his wife, Sheila, a woman who was still a virgin when they wed. At a cocktail party thrown by a wealthy donor to his hospital, he ponders the intertwining imperatives of marriage - sex and love, violation and trust, spirituality and desire - even as he finds himself succumbing to the temptations of his host.  Self-assured and sensual, this collection introduces the work of a young writer of unusual mastery.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49592460181777,"sku":"GOR007927966","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1847085601.jpg?v=1759231083"},{"product_id":"virgin-book-april-ayers-lawson-9781847085610","title":"Virgin","description":"Set mostly in the American South, at the crossroads of a world both secular and devoutly Christian, April Ayers Lawson's stories evoke the inner lives of young women and men navigating sexual, emotional, and spiritual awakenings.   In 'The Negative Effects of Homeschooling', Conner, sixteen, accompanies his grieving mother to the funeral of her best friend Charlene, a woman who was once a man. In 'The Way You Must Play Always', Gretchen, a thirteen year old who looks even younger, heads into her weekly piano lesson in nervous anticipation of her next illicit meeting with her teacher's brother, Wesley. 'Vulnerability' charts the edgy attraction a promising young artist begins to feel for her art dealer.  And in the title story, 'Virgin', Jake grapples with the growing chasm between him and his wife, Sheila, a woman who was still a virgin when they wed. At a cocktail party thrown by a wealthy donor to his hospital, he ponders the intertwining imperatives of marriage - sex and love, violation and trust, spirituality and desire - even as he finds himself succumbing to the temptations of his host.  Self-assured and sensual, this collection introduces the work of a young writer of unusual mastery.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49593978192145,"sku":"GOR009472869","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49659249066257,"sku":"GOR013721673","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51252017168657,"sku":"GOR014208439","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/184708561X.jpg?v=1759226630"},{"product_id":"virgin-and-other-stories-book-april-ayers-lawson-9780865478695","title":"Virgin and Other Stories","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn\u0026gt;\u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Debut of 2017\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eVICE, \u003ci\u003eBOMB\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSouthern Living\u003c\/i\u003e and Refinery29 Best Books of 2016\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet in the American South, at the crossroads of a world that is both secular and devoutly Christian, April Ayers Lawson's stories mine the inner lives of young women and men navigating sexual, emotional, and spiritual awakenings. In the title story, Jake grapples with the growing chasm between him and his wife, Sheila, who was a virgin when they wed. In Three Friends in a Hammock the tension and attraction is palpable between three sexy, insecure young women as they tug and toe the rope of their shared sack. The Way You Must Play Always invites us into the mind of Gretchen, young-looking even for thirteen, as she attends her weekly piano lesson, anxiously anticipating her illicit meeting with Wesley, her instructor's adult brother who is recovering from a brain tumor. Conner, the cynical sixteen-year-old narrator of The Negative Effects of Homeschooling, escorts his mink-wearing mother to the funeral of her best friend, Charlene, a woman who was once a man. And in Vulnerability we accompany a young married painter to New York City, lured there by an art dealer and one of his artists. Both are self-involved and have questionable intentions, but nevertheless she is enticed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNodding to the Southern Gothic but channeling an energy all its own, \u003ci\u003eVirgin and Other Stories\u003c\/i\u003e is a mesmerizing debut from an uncannily gifted young writer. With self-assurance and sensuality, April Ayers Lawson unravels the intertwining imperatives of intimacy--sex and love, violation and trust, spirituality and desire--eyeing, unblinkingly, what happens when we succumb to temptation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50256682254609,"sku":"CIN0865478694VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52097331200273,"sku":"CIN0865478694G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0865478694.jpg?v=1751107990"},{"product_id":"virgin-and-other-stories-book-april-ayers-lawson-9781250141231","title":"Virgin and Other Stories","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003eThe Irish Times \"\u003c\/i\u003eBest debuts of 2017\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e One of\u003ci\u003eNew York Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e's \"45 New Books to Read This Fall\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003eThe Millions\u003c\/i\u003e' \"Most Anticipated\" for the second half of 2016\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003eThe Huffington Post\u003c\/i\u003e's \"20 New Books You'll Need For Your Shelf in Fall 2016\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e's \"most anticipated\" for Fall 2016\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003eBookriot\u003c\/i\u003e's \"16 Books to Read This Fall\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003eHarper's Bazaar\u003c\/i\u003e's \"16 Books You Need to Read in November\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Set in the American South, at the crossroads of a world that is both secular and devoutly Christian, April Ayers Lawson's stories mine the inner lives of young women and men navigating sexual, emotional, and spiritual awakenings. In the title story, Jake grapples with the growing chasm between him and his wife, Sheila, who was a virgin when they wed. In \"Three Friends in a Hammock\" the tension and attraction is palpable between three sexy, insecure young women as they tug and toe the rope of their shared sack. \"The Way You Must Play Always\" invites us into the mind of Gretchen, young-looking even for thirteen, as she attends her weekly piano lesson, anxiously anticipating her illicit meeting with Wesley, her instructor's adult brother who is recovering from a brain tumor. Conner, the cynical sixteen-year-old narrator of \"The Negative Effects of Homeschooling,\" escorts his mink-wearing mother to the funeral of her best friend, Charlene, a woman who was once a man. And in \"Vulnerability\" we accompany a young married painter to New York City, lured there by an art dealer and one of his artists. Both are self-involved and have questionable intentions, but nevertheless she is enticed.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Nodding to the Southern Gothic but channeling an energy all its own,\u003ci\u003eVirgin and Other Stories\u003c\/i\u003e is a mesmerizing debut from an uncannily gifted young writer. With self-assurance and sensuality, April Ayers Lawson unravels the intertwining imperatives of intimacy--sex and love, violation and trust, spirituality and desire--eyeing, unblinkingly, what happens when we succumb to temptation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51021842710801,"sku":"NIN9781250141231","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51328793674001,"sku":"CIN1250141230G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1250141230.jpg?v=1751239761"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-april-ayers-lawson.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}