From a private library collection. Listened to a few times but is still in good condition, both discs and case. There is a sticker on the front (see photo) and a small one along the binding. Title: VAMPIRES IN THE LEMON GROVE Author: Karen Russell Read By: Multiple Narrators Year: 2013 Length: Unabridged Category: General Fiction Actual Length Discs: 9 hrs., 14 min., on 8 discs Each story in the collection utilizes animals or ghost-like creatures to reveal something deeper. In “Vampires in the Lemon Grove,” two vampires suck on lemons to quench their thirst, but really the lemons are symbolic of their withering relationship. In “Reeling for the Empire,” Japanese women are being turned into silkworm/human hybrids and forced to reel silk in secret for Japan; yet, underneath, the story is about how the protaginist uses her debilitating regret to her advantage, and also reveals how many Japanese women were treated during Emperor Meiji’s reign. "The Seagull Army Descends on Strong Beach, 1979,” is a coming-of-age story that uses seagulls to represent how a young man feels like he’s losing control of the direction of his life. In “Proving Up,” a little boy must deliver a highly-coveted mirror to his neighbors. The story is set during the time of the Homestead Act, but uses a monstrous, ghost-like creature to reveal the maddening conditions that families faced during that time. “The Barn at the End of Our Term” is about a handful of former US presidents that died and woke up in horse’s bodies. The story uses hyperbole to reveal the futility in the lust for power. Similarly, “Dougbert Shackleton’s Rules for Antarctic Tailgating” utilizes exaggeration to demonstrate the absurdity of taking a game too seriously. “The New Veterans” is about a massage therapist who helps an Iraq War veteran overcome his PTSD. The story uses a magical, changing tattoo to physically demonstrate how the veteran is overcoming his past trauma and regret. Finally, in “The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis,” a group of bullies come across a scarecrow-like doll tied to a tree. The doll, which slowly disappears limb-by-limb, serves as a metaphor for how the group of boys slowly killed a boy’s spirit at school through bullying. All cases are of the clam shell variety (as is seen in many libraries) which helps to protect the discs and cover cards, front and back.