The Bullet in the Brain

Tobias Wolf's short story achieves the unfortunate feat of being simultaneously glib and morkish. It tries to earn its twee sentimental Americana through this literally clinical, hard-boiled atomisation of the physical act of a bullet striking someone. If you're going for an intense personal experience, make sure your narrative keeps pace with the ongoing reality. Make sure his thoughts aren't so glib and jokey that we lose faith in the scene. Although they're cliches even on screen.