Six Fingered

Six Fingered is a collection of short stories by Bahram Gholami, a talented young writer whose stories have previously been recognized in various literary festivals. This is his first collection, published by Ghoghnoos Publishing, and includes five stories, with the fifth story divided into five parts. Each story conveys a different emotion, such as loneliness, pity, and prejudice. An interesting and thought-provoking common element is that all stories end with death, except for the last one. The stories titled “California Hotel,” “Caribou,” “Yahya’s Solitude,” “Mascara Smudged in the Fog,” and “Free Climb” are well-structured, with fluent language and strong character development. The vivid descriptions suggest that the author may have personally experienced these events. The stories are independently complete yet conceptually linked; the main character in the first story is a secondary character in the second, and this pattern continues until the last story where the first story’s character becomes central again. Themes of nature, mountains, cave exploration, rock and mountain climbing are central to the collection. “Six Fingered” is appealing and suitable for readers who enjoy short stories or prefer shorter narratives due to limited time.