Mr. and Mrs. Baby: And Other Stories

The former Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet’s only collection of short fiction, now part of the Ecco Art of the Story series.

Mr. and Mrs. Baby gives us Mark Strand at his funniest, most provocative, and most perceptive. In one story, a US President best known for reading Chekhov to his Cabinet and creating the National Museum of Weather resigns, while another story features a man who has been married five times and in love six, with none of those experiences overlapping.

As People writes: “Few writers . . . can manage to make one of man’s favorite pastimes—futile longing—seem to be so hilarious, touching, and ultimately admirable as Strand does.” This slim, masterful, and moving collection is distinguished by a richness and vibrancy of language and an inventiveness of imagination, making it a memorable and lasting contribution from one of our most respected poets.

Back in print in this deluxe edition, the former Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize–winning poet's only collection of short fiction—now part of Ecco's the Art of the Story series

"The stories in this collection are sharp and idiosyncratic,with unusual twists given to expected realities." - New York Times

“Strand’s are metaphoric tales that tell us about the truths and lies we tell ourselves, and in their direct indirection and stripped-down style, the stories confront us with a stunning and new kind of hyper-realism.” - Chicago Tribune

"On practically every page, one can be dazzled by Strand's language." - Village Voice

“Few writers . . . can manage to make one of man’s favorite pastimes—futile longing—seem to be so hilarious, touching, and ultimately admirable as Strand does.” - People