The Wars of Heaven

These six stories and a novella introduce working-class West Virginians, including a coal miner whose brother is killed in a mine explosion, a child who cares for his retarded little brother, an outlaw holed up in a church and a tragicomic circus clown. ``What might veer into the mawkish or maudlin in the hands of a less skillful writer here remains cool and underplayed,'' said PW. ``Currey's is an eloquent voice.'' (Oct.)