Testimony and Demeanor (Vintage Contemporaries) - Softcover

"A delight--and a triumph." --The Philadelphia Inquirer"Rich with psychological insight--not to mention eloquence and originality." --Harper's Magazine"Perceptive. . . . Compelling." --Time"Arresting and distinctive. . . . The four stories in this collection are extremely impressive. . . . Completely convincing." --The Miami Herald "Each of the stories contains small gems. . . . The first, 'A More Complete Cross-Section, ' is a masterpiece, beautifully written in every line." --Joyce Carol Oates, The New Republic"A major novelist at the top of his form, Casey captures not only the texture of individual lives, but the shape and momentum of all lives that begin with the best intentions, then stray off course." --Chicago Tribune"[Casey] is an astute observer of the ruses as well as the private confrontations that govern our behavior." --The Washington Post Book World"Testimony and Demeanor is serious writing that deserves serious reading." --Jonathan Yardley, Washington Star"[Casey's] descriptions of nature and feelings are tautly lyric. . . . He is reclaiming and extending a rich tradition of American literature." --Newsweek"Casey . . . is an accomplished craftsman and a delight to read. No mode seems beyond him . . . all is understated and imbued with a powerful grace." --Lynne Sharon Schwartz, author of The Writing on the Wall"Even better reading the second time." --Houston Chronicle

Four stories that thematically comprise a cycle focus on the life-defining moments when a smart, accomplished, and confident young man of privilege finds his sense of superiority crumbling in the face of outside assault. By the author of The Half-Life of Happiness. Reprint.