Confessions of a Falling Woman: And Other Stories

By Debra Dean

Ten masterworks of short fiction—by turns tender, comic, powerful, and devastating—from the highly praised author of The Madonnas of Leningrad

A surprised Southern matriarch is confronted by her family at an intervention. . . . A life-altering break-in triggers insomniac introspection in a desperate actor. . . . Streetwise New York City neighbors let down their guard for a naïve puppeteer and must suffer the consequences. . . .

In this stunning collection of short stories—five of which are being published for the very first time—bestselling, award-winning author Debra Dean displays the depth and magnitude of her extraordinary literary talent. Replete with the seamless storytelling and captivating lyrical voice that made her debut novel, The Madonnas of Leningrad, a national bestseller, Dean’s Confessions of a Falling Woman is a haunting, satisfying, and unforgettable reading experience.

Praise for Debra Dean’s critically acclaimed bestseller The Madonnas of Leningrad

“[A] heartfelt debut. . . . Admirably humane.” —New York Times Book Review

“An unforgettable story of love, survival, and the power of imagination in the most tragic circumstances. Elegant and poetic, the rare kind of book that you want to keep but you have to share.”—Isabel Allende

“[Dean’s] descriptive passages and dialogue are painteresque and exquisitely drawn.” —USA Today

“This sumptuously elegant and emotionally moving first novel . . . will linger with you long after you’ve finished it. . . . Exhilarating fiction . . . luminous and lovely throughout.”—Providence Journal

“Rare is the novel that creates that blissful forgot-you-were-reading experience. This sort of transcendence is rarer still when the novel in question is an author’s debut, but that is precisely what Debra Dean has achieved.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Dean writes with passion and compelling drama.”—People

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 13, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061844010

Debra Dean

Debra Dean worked as an actor in New York theater for nearly a decade before opting for the life of a writer and teacher. She and her husband now live in Miami, where she teaches at the University at Miami. She is at work on her second novel.

Reviews for Confessions of a Falling Woman

[whisper1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you've read The Madonna's of Leningrad, then you are aware that Dean is a masterful writer. Her images carry a soft a ha and a tug at the heart that leaves you knowing that you can relate to her characters.This is a series of short stories, each one independent of one another, yet connected by the thread of likeable, sometimes foolish folks simply trying to get by the best they can.I know I'm reading a good book when I stop to think of similar situations/circumstances I've experienced and my mind weaves back along the path of a lost love, a troubled relationship long overdue the breakup deadline, a problematic, self absorbed parent or friend who drove me crazy, yet in the end required a modicum of dignity and respect, and situations when I stubbornly felt beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was absolutely right, yet needed to shift a paradigm when confronted with additional insight.This is a gem of a book wherein you savor the exceptional writing and long for it not to end.Highly recommended!!