The Ugliest House in the World: Stories

Davies's worldly stories, reflecting his Welsh and Chinese heritage, delight in odd--and memorable--juxtapositions and counterpoints. Elegant and original, they travel "with an offhand grace" (Elle) from Coventry to Kuala Lumpur, from the past to the present, and from hilarity to tragedy. With its humanism and pointed wit, this collection "signals the debut of a major talent" (Chang-rae Lee).

Peter Ho Davies is on the faculty of the graduate program in creative writing at the University of Michigan. His debut collection The Ugliest House in the World won the John Llewellyn Rhys and PEN/Macmillan awards in Britain. His second collection, Equal Love, was hailed by the New York Times Book Review for its “stories as deep and clear as myth.” It was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and a New York Times Notable Book. In 2003 Davies was named among the “Best of Young British Novelists” by Granta. The Welsh GIrl is his first novel. The son of a Welsh father and Chinese mother, Davies was raised in England and spent his summers in Wales. He is married and has one son.