Gerard Marconi 
The Accidental Universe and Other Stories 

The Accidental Universe and Other Stories begins with a riff on the oldest tale known to man and then takes us from the beginning of the twentieth century up to the present day and beyond. Some are traditional short stories about one person while others vary the point of view and still others are in the form of one-act plays. Individual lives are explored in different venues and at different times, but they all touch on the search for meaning in a chaotic universe. From the religious beliefs of Christopher Columbus to those of modern evangelicals, from the words of Shakespeare to those of Samuel Beckett, from the paintings of Andrew Wyeth to those of Andy Warhol, and in the lives of grave diggers as well as artists, this unique collection of humorous and serious stories will engage the minds, hearts, and imaginations of readers on an unforgettable journey.

Giới thiệu về tác giả

A native of Baltimore, Gerard Marconi earned a master’s degree in Humanities from Johns Hopkins University and in Theatre from Catholic University. He taught these subjects and held related administrative positions at the college level for many years. As Coordinator of Cultural Affairs at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he initiated a lecture series that brought to the community college campus such well known speakers as John Barth, Nora Ephron, and Maya Angelou. He led study tours to museums and theaters in Baltimore, Washington, London, and Florence, Italy, and served on the boards of the Theatre Association of Pennsylvania, the Dance Council of Central Pennsylvania, and the Frederick Arts Council in Maryland. His short stories have appeared in The Chattahoochee Review, Somerset Review, The Write Launch, and Mayday Magazine, among others, and his one-act play entitled ‘Rapture’ was given a public reading by the Baltimore Playwrights Festival.