A House Is a Body

By Shruti Swamy,

Book cover of A House Is a Body: Stories

Book description

In "A Simple Composition," a husband's professional crisis leads to his wife's discovery of a dark, ecstatic joy. And in the title story, an exhausted mother watches, hypnotised by fear, as a California wildfire approaches her home. Immersive and assured, provocative and probing, these are stories written with the edge…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked A House Is a Body as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

A really great short story collection can sweep you off your feet and take you to a lot of different places, in a way that novels can't quite manage. And Swamy's debut collection is haunting in the best possible way. These dreamlike stories feature characters who are lost and dislocated, carried along by other people's desires, and the best of them have something to say about art as well as relationships. In one story, an artist who is descending into alcoholism gets into a relationship with the god Krishna, and in another, a "laughter artist" has perfected her laughter to…

Want books like A House Is a Body?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like A House Is a Body.

Browse books like A House Is a Body

Book cover of Get in Trouble: Stories
Book cover of Useful Phrases for Immigrants: Stories
Book cover of Homesick: Stories

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in alcoholism, India, and Los Angeles?

Alcoholism 108 books
India 483 books
Los Angeles 361 books