Pamela Stewart describes herself as a 'literary proctologist' on the back cover of Elysium (Anvil Press). She was also a private detective for two decades, and that will give you a clue as to the approach she takes in this collection of stories. Think of a stakeout.

Stewart sidles up to her characters, uncovering a thought or exposing a secret. These are not the kind of stories that attempt to map out a life in 30 or 40 pages. Instead, they offer glimpses into other people's lives.

Some of the stories are very brief, just a couple of pages. A woman will be reminded by the memory of a cat she doesn't yet know is dead. Another doesn't show up to work one Monday morning and instead decides to drop out of life. One of the stories actually begins with a visit to a proctologist.

In the last story, Walk Left Stand Right, the narrator is living on the streets of Toronto, but her story might not be what it seems to be on the surface. That's the hallmark of the whole book and what makes it so enjoyable to read.

. . .

Barnacle Love (Doubleday Canada), by Toronto's Anthony De Sa, is a look at immigrant life in Canada.

The book is a series of linked stories, divided in two parts, about one Portuguese family and its experience in Canada. The first group introduces the reader to Manuel Rebelo, who escapes from both his small village in the Azores Islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and from the clutches of his inflexible, controlling mother. She's a woman who has a vision for her son on their island, but it's a future Manuel doesn't want.

Manuel fishes off the banks of Newfoundland and stays behind, eventually ending up in Toronto. He fervently loves his adopted home as he leaves his old life behind.

The second group of stories is narrated by his son, Antonio. He charts the distance between Manuel's dreams and his reality, and his own embarrassment at what his father has become.

De Sa writes with sensitivity to detail and obviously knows his characters well. I can't help thinking, though, that this would be even better as a novel. There are abrupt jumps in the narrative from story to story, and unexplained character shifts. At times, the book reads like a novel with missing chapters.

The jacket copy says Anthony De Sa is working on a novel. I look forward to reading it.