FICTION

THE AGE OF WIRE AND STRING: Stories by Ben Marcus (Knopf: $21; 142 pp.). There is a certain type of prose often written by mentally ill people in which one can feel the presence of a unique, authentic vision, but it is so far removed form quotidian reality that readers cannot really participate. “The Age of Wire and String,” a collection of short pieces by Ben Marcus, is maybe two neurotransmitters away from mentally ill writing, yet the world created here is coherent enough to sustain itself. Much of this collection is a definition of terms that enjoy a varying degree of effectiveness. But at its best, “The Age of Wire and String” is wild and oddly touching. However, at times the writing can fall prey to a sort of subtle arrogance, as if the book contains instructions that we all need to heed. Still, Marcus has created a thought provoking, completely singular work.