A History of Existing Life

The language in Shelagh Powers Johnson's debut collection strikes the rare and perfect balance between understated and surprising. The characters in these stories span time periods and geographic location but are united by Johnson's astute observation of brutality and heartbreak- but also the beauty and redemption-of the every day. -Amanda Parrish Morgan, author of Stroller, named one of The New Yorker's Best Books of 2022

A History of Existing Life is filled with lush, dark, haunting, and intricate prose and piercing observations. Old lovers briefly reunite. A woman's paintings transform into a living dreamscape. Everyone reckons with their past. Johnson's exquisite stories probe into the inner workings of relationships, of parents who love and who betray and disappoint. Let this collection surprise and envelop you. -Lauren D. Woods, author of The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe, winner of the Autumn House Press 2024 Fiction Prize