Paris for One by Jojo Moyes

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

This compendium of short stories, including a short novella, Paris for One, is a delightful collection of stories about love: discarded and reborn, withered and blossoming. In the story Paris for One, we find Nell as she is poised for her romantic weekend with Pete, her boyfriend whom she’s convinced to join her for her first impulsive move ever: a weekend away in Paris. Not surprising to anyone who cares about Nell, Pete doesn’t show up to the airport and Nell finds herself alone in a city where she knows no one and doesn’t speak the language. Nell surprises especially herself when she, in fact, makes the very best of it! And in each story, there are similar, fun twists that will keep you guessing and turning every page.

My favorite story is the one called Between the Tweets. It is short, hilarious, and fully unexpected. It is, in my opinion, an example of the perfect short story!

While it is certainly a mix, and some stories are better than others, this is a wholly entertaining, satisfying book of short stories. [Of note, there is one that is the seed for a novel that I’ve actually written about here in this blog… but I’m not going to give away which one!]

If you’re into love stories, and/or short stories, this is for you!

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Here I have fallen again into another book of short stories – but luckily so. While, again, I am generally not a fan of them, these stories are virtually novels unto themselves. Not in physical length, but in the depth of characters the author creates and in the lives and experiences they convey. We have a writer attending a workshop surrounded by writers afraid to stand up to the man in charge who is inappropriate and sexist and racist, out of fear they will threaten their own opportunities. We read about a young bride of an arranged marriage, newly brought to New York from Nigeria, about her disappointments and resentments. And we read about a young woman trying to come to terms with the death of her brother, so many years prior.

The many characters and the many stories here bring us closer to understanding the African experience in America and the African experience in Africa. We are exposed to the conflict that often arises from clashing cultures, religions, origins, and beliefs – and how each character must struggle to identify where they fit into the world where these conflicts exist. Just as exists anywhere, there is conflict between old and young, between man and woman, between one culture and another. The human experience, on display so vividly in these pages, is finding what our role is in that morass and how we resolve our differences with those around us. It is both specific to these cultures and generalizable to almost anyone living in the world.

Of course there are some stories I enjoyed more than others, but that is to be expected. On the whole, however, I found these stories to be powerful, deeply moving, and well worth the experience of going out of my comfort zone to read short stories in spite of myself. I encourage you to do the same!

 

 

Table for Two by Amor Towles

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, short stories are not my favorite – because I am never satisfied, always wanting more out of the story, more from the characters – but if anyone can pull it off, it is Amor Towles. And Table for Two shows us this is true.

We so quickly warm to each character that Towles creates within these pages – quickly enough to bond, to care, and to engage with the stories, brief as they are. And each vignette becomes a surprisingly fully formed story, leaving us almost as satisfied as we’d be if he’d written an entire novel for each of them. The final story, more a novella, is my favorite. In it, he creates suspense, unexpected twists, and characters with strength and wit whom we come to love almost immediately.

Most striking is the writing, which, as in all his books, is just stunning. Towles’ use of words is both descriptive and spare, witty and dry, almost poetic and yet prose at its best.

Of course this is a MUST READ – I am a die-hard fan.

 

The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

In this collection of short stories by Jennifer Weiner we meet an assortment of characters struggling with both usual and unusual circumstances. We meet a new mother battling fatigue and bewilderment, trying to find her way through midnight feedings, sleeplessness, and wondering “what if I’d taken the alternative path?” We meet another mother finding her way to a support group and making an unlikely connection with a younger mother who surprises her with her pure and natural maternal instincts. And we meet another woman, older, alone, who is overtaken by two sisters who kidnap her inside her own home. Each of these characters and their plight reveals a slice of someone’s experience, a moment of a lived experience that we can peek in on and gain just a bit more insight, a bit more empathy.

In these various stories, Weiner manages to create, in so brief a time, characters that are as deep and authentic as you might find in a full-length novel. She creates stories that bring you in and leave you wanting more. Which is exactly my difficulty – perhaps my own impatience – with short stories. I just want more! Sure, short stories serve a purpose. They create vignettes that set a stage, make a point, relate an adage, perhaps, or even communicate an experience. But for me, I just find them frustrating. I am hooked, I am engaged, I am all in – and then, POOF! – it’s done! Just not fair.

On the other hand, if anyone can pull it off, it is Weiner. And these are quite well done. They are entertaining, engaging, and, well, leave you wanting more. Which is, I guess, the point?

 

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

This is an excellent book of short stories; nevertheless, it reminds me why I don’t like short stories — I always want more!  This one is unique, though, as (SPOILER ALERT:) there ultimately is a connecting thread to the stories at the end, which satisfied my “need to know!”

And as usual, Lahiri’s writing is beautiful.  Her stories are a window into American-Indian culture, with the recurrent themes of traditional vs. modern, Indian vs. American, and arranged marriages vs. marriages for love.  The writing is very descriptive and one can easily picture each scene as it plays out.  Each character is built so lovingly that the reader has to know what happens and is personally affected by each outcome.

This is a great collection of stories — she could develop a whole book from each one…  I wish she would!

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

If you’re in need of a sardonic, comedic reality break from the Thanksgiving-till-Christmas holiday glitter and forced cheer, this little book by David Sedaris is the perfect antidote.  In this book are 6 vignettes/short stories set at Thanksgiving/Christmastime which all start as familiar scenes and generally progress to the outrageous.   I have to confess that as someone who is usually not happy with “outrageous,” I did laugh (and sometimes groan) out loud at some of the lines in this book.

There is no character development and probably all-too-blatant moral lessons, but it s a delightful, indulgent respite from making latkes or stuffing stockings!

 

Me Talk Pretty One Day (migrated from Bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Fun book!  When my family asked me what this book was about, I had to answer, “Nothing, really.”  It is sort of the Seinfeld of books…  David Sedaris, in his sardonic, laugh-out-loud style, describes vignettes from his childhood, his experiences living in Paris, and his various work experiences.  While he is sometimes outrageous in his tone, he describes some scenarios that any reader can relate to and in that he draws the reader in and thoroughly entertains.

In short, it’s hard not to have a great time reading this book!