1 year ago

Review:  Video Verite and Other StoriesAuthor: William PetrickPublisher:  Pearhouse PressSource:  Author’s Advance Review Copy Aisle B Rating: Synopsis from In our media-saturated world, the line between reality and fiction has grown thinner and more confusing. With sharp, clear prose and an insider’s view of the media, Petrick’s stories take us into a hall of mirrors where men and women struggle to understand themselves and their relationships with one another. In a climate defined by images, does love stand a chance when no one is certain what is real? In the title story, an accomplished skydiver goes airborne with a video camera to capture the love of his life, but a small oversight upends his best intentions. In “Sins of the Father,” a man arriving in Huntsville, Texas, to commute his son’s death sentence clashes with a documentary producer intent on chasing the story to its bitter end. In “Telling Time,” a corporate video producer, conflicted by his own immoral conduct, learns that sometimes the absolute truth is the most effective lie. ************************************************************** First I owe William Petric apologies for my preconceived notions on this book. When I saw the book I’d assumed that it would be a step by step diagnosis on the filmic world of cinema via the video medium. I thought I’d be reading along the lines of Marshall McLuhan and Susan Sontag with thesis on communication. I presumed that I’d be reading some theory on the video montage as a an eye to the “verite” vis a vis a throwback to the term “cinema verite”. I was WAY OFF! Let me repeat I was a galaxy away from the real meaning of this book. And BOY was I GLAD! Petrick’s Video Verite and Other Stories is a short book comprised of 12 short stories: Video Verite, The Barrens, Orange County, Car Crazy, Crossing Water, Sins of the Father, Telling Time, Turn Around, The Perfect View, A Woman in Green, The Captain and Shooting Harlem. The very first story which is the title of this book will literally blow your mind. I have to refer to the first story since it haunts me still. In Video Verite, Ron an avid videographer volunteers to video tape the actual footage of a skydive jump organized by his friends. Completely engrossed in his meticulous task of catching the essence of the jump, he omits to put on his parachute. I won’t say anymore since the following scenes created by Petrick has you glued and gripped with eyes widening as Ron spirals downwards.  WOW what a beginning and the rest that follows focuses on relationships with an accuracy that will prove chilling for the sublime realities of life.  I still get the “heebee jeebies” at the thought of the first story.  William Petrick is a name to look out for and get ready “he definitely has a story to tell”.

Review:  Video Verite and Other Stories
Author: William Petrick
Publisher:  Pearhouse Press
Source:  Author’s Advance Review Copy

Aisle B Rating: 3.87 of 5 stars3.87 of 5 stars3.87 of 5 stars3.87 of 5 stars3.87 of 5 stars

Synopsis from

In our media-saturated world, the line between reality and fiction has grown thinner and more confusing. With sharp, clear prose and an insider’s view of the media, Petrick’s stories take us into a hall of mirrors where men and women struggle to understand themselves and their relationships with one another. In a climate defined by images, does love stand a chance when no one is certain what is real? In the title story, an accomplished skydiver goes airborne with a video camera to capture the love of his life, but a small oversight upends his best intentions. In “Sins of the Father,” a man arriving in Huntsville, Texas, to commute his son’s death sentence clashes with a documentary producer intent on chasing the story to its bitter end. In “Telling Time,” a corporate video producer, conflicted by his own immoral conduct, learns that sometimes the absolute truth is the most effective lie.

**************************************************************

First I owe William Petric apologies for my preconceived notions on this book. When I saw the book I’d assumed that it would be a step by step diagnosis on the filmic world of cinema via the video medium. I thought I’d be reading along the lines of Marshall McLuhan and Susan Sontag with thesis on communication. I presumed that I’d be reading some theory on the video montage as a an eye to the “verite” vis a vis a throwback to the term “cinema verite”. I was WAY OFF! Let me repeat I was a galaxy away from the real meaning of this book. And BOY was I GLAD!

Petrick’s Video Verite and Other Stories is a short book comprised of 12 short stories: Video Verite, The Barrens, Orange County, Car Crazy, Crossing Water, Sins of the Father, Telling Time, Turn Around, The Perfect View, A Woman in Green, The Captain and Shooting Harlem. The very first story which is the title of this book will literally blow your mind.

I have to refer to the first story since it haunts me still. In Video Verite, Ron an avid videographer volunteers to video tape the actual footage of a skydive jump organized by his friends. Completely engrossed in his meticulous task of catching the essence of the jump, he omits to put on his parachute. I won’t say anymore since the following scenes created by Petrick has you glued and gripped with eyes widening as Ron spirals downwards. 

WOW what a beginning and the rest that follows focuses on relationships with an accuracy that will prove chilling for the sublime realities of life.  I still get the “heebee jeebies” at the thought of the first story. 

William Petrick is a name to look out for and get ready “he definitely has a story to tell”.