In Winter Stories, Norwegian author Ingrid H. Rishøi gives us three contemporary tales about personal resilience in the face of adversity. We meet a teenager on the run from social services with her younger half-sister and half-brother in tow; a young single mother struggling to provide adequately for her daughter; and an ex-convict striving to overcome personal shortcomings and build a relationship with his son.
 
Driven by a fundamental need to secure and protect relationships with loved ones, Rishøi’s characters stumble, fall, and climb to their feet again—even though the deck inevitably seems to be stacked against them. Seemingly minor snags in their best-laid plans carry the risk of undermining everything with potentially life-altering consequences. What these stories illustrate, however, is how small victories and the unexpected compassion of virtual strangers can have a far-reaching and profound impact. With empathy and sensitivity, the poetic sensibility of Rishøi’s literary voice beautifully illuminates the fragile vulnerability of the human condition. In a time when the level of skepticism and distrust between people is rising, these stories remind us of the humanity that unites us all.
 

Ingvild H. Rishøi is the author of two collections of short stories and two books for children. Diane Oatley is an American writer, independent scholar, and translator.