Tunneling to the Center of the Earth

Tunneling to the Center of the Earth presents eleven short stories that blend everyday situations with surreal elements and unexpected turns. The collection marks Kevin Wilson's debut work, published by Ecco/HarperCollins in 2009. The stories explore themes of isolation, family dynamics, and the search for connection in contemporary America. Characters include museum docents, teenagers digging tunnels, and factory workers who test fireworks by eating them. Wilson creates worlds where the bizarre and mundane intersect naturally, letting characters navigate both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances. His narratives move between small Southern towns and unnamed locations, between realism and fable-like situations. The stories in this collection examine how people cope with loss, loneliness, and the struggle to find meaning in an increasingly complex world. Through a mix of dark humor and surprising scenarios, Wilson explores the boundaries between what is normal and what is strange.

Readers describe these short stories as quirky, offbeat tales that blend everyday situations with surreal elements. The collection maintains a consistent tone while exploring diverse scenarios and characters. What readers liked: - Fresh, imaginative premises that avoid feeling gimmicky - Strong emotional core beneath bizarre setups - Clean, straightforward writing style - Memorable opening and closing stories - Humor balanced with melancholy What readers disliked: - Some stories feel underdeveloped - A few premises don't pay off satisfyingly - Middle section stories are weaker - Characters can blur together Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (50+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Like George Saunders meets Raymond Carver" - Goodreads review "The stories stick with you long after reading" - Amazon review "Hit or miss collection, but the hits are worth it" - LibraryThing review "Unique voice without being precious about it" - Goodreads review

Birds of America by Lorrie Moore The stories merge suburban life with dark undercurrents through characters who face loss and displacement while navigating the borders between comic and tragic moments.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver Characters inhabit a world of quiet desperation and small revelations, where mundane moments transform into profound encounters with the strange and unexpected.

Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link The collection blends everyday American life with elements of fantasy and horror, creating stories where the surreal bleeds into normal situations.

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell The stories present characters navigating between wildness and civilization in settings that combine Southern Gothic elements with magical realism.

Tenth of December by George Saunders Characters face moral dilemmas and personal struggles in stories that mix social commentary with surreal elements and unexpected plot developments.

🔸 The Shirley Jackson Award, which this book won, is named after the author of "The Lottery" and honors outstanding achievement in horror, psychological suspense, and dark fantasy literature. 🔸 Kevin Wilson wrote much of this collection while working as a communications coordinator at the University of the South's Sewanee School of Letters. 🔸 After this debut collection, Wilson went on to write the New York Times bestseller "Nothing to See Here" (2019), about children who spontaneously burst into flames. 🔸 The title story follows recent college graduates who cope with unemployment by digging tunnels beneath their town, reflecting post-graduation anxiety that was particularly relevant during the 2008 recession. 🔸 Several stories in the collection were originally published in prestigious literary magazines, including Ploughshares and One Story, before being collected in this volume.