Charles Dickinson (born 1951) is an American writer known for his literary novels which often mix realism with winsome absurdity. His books include, in the order of their publication: Waltz in Marathon, Crows, With or Without (a short story collection), The Widows' Adventures, Rumor Has It, and A Shortcut in Time.
His short fiction and non-fiction pieces have appeared in Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The New Yorker, and a variety of literary magazines and newspapers. Dickinson is also an editor at the Chicago Tribune.
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“Readers of all persuasions will welcome the quiet metaphysics of A Shortcut in Time. With its precise cadences and poetic observations, Charles Dickinson’s novel is like a wondrous old pendulum clock you acquired from an antiques dealer after discovering to your delight that it still kept perfect time.” --James Morrow
Widows Ina and Helene, sisters from Chicago, set off on a drive to Los Angeles. There’s one problem: Only Helene can drive, and she’s blind. Beer-swigging Ina acts as her eyes. On back roads in the dead of night they travel across an America they never knew.
Robert Cigar has moved into the home of his biology teacher, Ben Ladysmith. That Ben has been missing for two years is just one of the mysteries enriching this brilliant novel. Robert annoys, infuriates and loves Ben’s family--and helps them find a way through their grief.