A note on book covers: while we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
Decoy, the concluding novella of Allan Gurganus’s hugely acclaimed Local Souls, was hailed as the standout of that work. Like Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, it is a haunting lyrical portrayal of a life half-led.
Set in mythical Falls, North Carolina, this mysterious and compelling tale maps the lifelong eroticized friendship between two married men. When Doc Roper, the town’s beloved physician, announces he is retiring from practice to carve exquisite duck decoys, he triggers an epidemic of catastrophes. His dependent patient and next-door neighbor, Bill Mabry, feels cut loose. Then the close-knit town is devastated by a flood of near-biblical proportions.
Decoy ― already emerging as an essential work of American literature ― charts the tender border between life and death.
A note on book covers: while we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
Poignant, lyrical exploration of love, loss, and longing.
Who is this book for?
If you’re drawn to stories of complex human relationships and poetic storytelling, Decoy might just steal your heart. Allan Gurganus beautifully captures the quiet depths of a life intertwined with community and secrets, all set against the backdrop of a town facing nature's fury. It’s a haunting read that lingers long after the last page.
