Beautifully written, deceptively simple
586713
I love Toibin's writing.  I enjoy the under-dramatizing of events, and  the immersion in ordinary, daily life.  His stories are deep but subtle and are rewarding to the discerning and sensitive reader.  Instead of relying on gimmicky shock techniques in his writing, Toibin studies life the way real people live---not everything is explained or understood or grasped right away or maybe never.  Life unfolds in small steps, change happens gradually with the passage of days.  Maybe Norah will never quite know what happened when her sons were staying with their aunt, or on the elevator ride during the visit to Dublin.  We don't know if Conor will be ok.  Was the visit from Maurice simply a reaction to the pain medication and a manifestation of her subconscious worry about Conor or was it really a visit from Maurice?  I love that this was left unanswered because it is more true to life---undetermined not fully understood.  How much of each other do we really know---even our closest friends and family remain unknown to us to a great extent.  Furthermore, to really appreciate this story it is important to realize that this is not American culture---it is Irish culture about 50 years ago.  People were much less open with their feelings and not so comfortable to discuss deep feelings the way people are today esp. in America.  And yet there was a strong and loving community and strong family relationships.  I think that Toibin portrayed the Irish culture well in this novel, but it may be lost on Americans who carry unexamined assumptions that all people share their cultural experience.
1687575
At one point in this deceptively unassuming little novel, Lucy Barton, an aspiring writer herself, gets talking to a woman in a clothing store. Shyly, the woman gives her name, Sarah Payne. Lucy realizes that she is a novelist, whose books she has read and enjoyed. She recalls a friend criticizing Payne's writing for a "softness of compassion," which he felt weakened her work. Though for her part, Lucy has always liked her because "she wrote about people who worked hard and suffered and also had good things happen to them. And then I realized that, even in her books, she was not telling EXACTLY the truth, she was staying away from something. Why, she could barely say her name! And I felt I understood that too."

This encounter proves important to Lucy, who later enrolls in a workshop with the author, and begins setting down the memories that open this book as a kind of homage to her. After the edgy intricacy of the intertwined stories in her Pulitzer prizewinning OLIVE KITTERIDGE and the ambitious plotting of THE BURGESS BOYS, this is unusually simple writing from Elizabeth Strout, so much so that you almost forget you are in the hands of a prizewinning author; it is clear that the qualities that Lucy sees in Sarah Payne also inform her own writing, especially the "softness of compassion." Most of the book, which is told with the hindsight of two decades, takes place in a New York hospital where Lucy, the mother of two young children, is hospitalized for nine weeks as the result of an appendectomy gone wrong. Her mother comes to visit from rural Illinois, and the two women share memories. From the very first page, I could hardly bear to close the book. Not that anything much was happening; I simply wanted to linger with this woman, listen to her voice, and see the world through her eyes. Here is an entire short chapter:

-- The doctor, who wore his sadness with such loveliness, had come to check on me the night before. "I had a patient on another floor," he said. "Let me see how you are doing." And he swished the curtain around me as he always did. He didn't take my temperature with a thermometer, but held his hand to my forehead, and then took my pulse with his fingers to my wrist. "Okay, then," he said, "Sleep well." He made a fist and kissed it, then held it in the air as he unswished the curtain and left the room. For many years, I loved this man. But I have already said that.

I can imagine readers who look for more action in their novels coming out with the Reagan-era slogan, "Where's the beef?" But the savor of this almost evanescent novella is in the delicate broth; it is certainly not a hearty stew, let alone a slab of steak. Only gradually do you realize that Lucy herself, as she said of Sarah Payne, is "staying away from something." You begin to catch glimpses of what it might be: something buried in her childhood of abject rural poverty, something that made her want to plead with strangers in the town: "please, please, can you please get me out of there, bad things are going on!" You wait for the shoe to drop, the buried secrets to come out in the open. But that's the wonderful thing: most don't, at least not explicitly. You learn of estrangements and sorrows, the power of love and yet the failure to admit to it. You move forward with Lucy as her children grow up and her life changes. You get a chilling glimpse of New York at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. But you also become more and more aware of that softness of compassion in Lucy herself, her understanding that no one can ever be completely understood, and her ability to forgive. Right down to the last line of all:

-- All life amazes me.
1157693
Thats the most simple, genuine and innocent writing I have ever read. Sudha's skill of drawing stories and lessons from different moments of life is admirable. I would recommend this book who are looking for some light reading stories.
214539
Sad at times, heart-warming, simple and complex at the same time - this book feels real, the stories (everyday stories, told in beautiful prose), the details and the characters are familiar yet unique, very easy to relate to, the writing is so good this was a real pleasure to read, I highly recommend (and I am not a big short-story fan myself).
2221804
This is a gentle, deeply human story written beautifully and quietly.
1737591
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields  Vintage Books 1993
Carol Shields has won several prizes for this book including the Governors General's Award for Fiction in 1993. This beautifully written story follows Daisy Goodwill throughout her life, her birth, her marriages, her death. It is a simple story but filled with wonderful characters who lead complex but mostly unfulfilled  lives. Daisy's mother dies within minutes of her birth and while this fact is never faced directly by Daisy, it seems to be an essential aspect of her longing for fulfillment. Each member of the four generations of Daisy's family is treated with compassion and sensitivity. Even her spiteful and miserly father-in-law, Magnus Flett, manages to redeem himself by living to be115 years old and memorizing the whole of Jayne Ayre.
Men do not come of well in this story but then neither do the women. A major theme throughout the story is the conflict between interior life and exterior life. The often rich interior life is never quite matched by reality and prevents any real happiness from bursting through the plodding heavy duty of their lives. In the end, sorting through Daisy's possessions we see the inconsequential nature of most of what we bring with us.
 The book is filled with beautiful language and striking images. I enjoyed the book immensely.
2005287
I could feel a heartbreak coming from a long way off, but the eloquently simple writing of this beautiful story pulled me along until its shape was revealed. My only quibble is that I thought the ending may be too abrupt, letting the main character get off too easily. It would have been interesting to see the consequences of the tragic climax explored in more detail. But maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. This gentle, intriguingly structured story, written partly in Benjamin's first-person voice and partly in the third person, is the work of an Icelandic author sometimes cited as Fridrik Erlingsson. I think he writes primarily in Icelandic, but I could find no information about who (other than the author himself) might have translated this book into English. All I know about Erlingsson is that he used to play in a band featuring Bjork, that he writes screenplays for the Icelandic film industry, and that two more of his books are available in English: <i>Fish in the Sky</i> and <i>Boy on the Edge</i>.
3954349
Jeffrey Brown calls his latest memoir Little Things, but the truth is that the title is a little modest. It's certainly true enough; the book is filled with mundane events, like getting a cat, meeting a boring friend of a friend, conversations with parents and exes. That kind of thing. But those small occurrences are where the magical events of life happen, which Brown is well aware of.

The book begins with a prologue that promises this collection of short stories is "about how things interconnect in life. . . . How everyday stuff is . . . how we find meaning in our lives." Some of the events described are more "eventful" than others--the late-night trip to the emergency room, for example, which results in a gallbladder removal and tens of thousands of dollars worth of hospital charges. Whatever level of importance may eventually be assigned to them, the happenings reach a sum total that is nothing short of poignant and moving. Brown knows when to hold back and when to deliver on the promise of something he's been building toward; it's nice to relax and watch the story unfold knowing the storyteller has a complete vision in mind, a comprehensive tale that will make more sense in retrospect. Enjoy it while it's taking place and then look back to connect the dots.

Brown is already somewhat well known for directing the music video for indie favorites Death Cab for Cutie's "Your Heart Is an Empty Room." He's also written several other graphic works, most of which have centered around his own life. Brown mines his past for rich material and uses it make deceptively simple stories that pack a universal emotional wallop.

All of which is not to say that Brown isn't funny. Make no mistake; he most certainly is. He makes wry observations throughout Little Things with admirable subtlety. That restraint helps keep Little Things afloat, succeeding without sinking into self-indulgence. There's always a risk in such personal works--the danger that the reader will feel as if he or she is looking at the equivalent of the storyteller's vacation slides, secretly eyeing the door and wondering how long it will all last. And of course it has been suggested that, too often, the comic and graphic novel format is used for memoir that doesn't have the substance to sustain an entire work. With an elegant simplicity, Brown is able to dismiss all those worries almost immediately. These stories are too charming to be boring, too friendly to overstay their welcome.

That Brown has been able to make several memoirs work--and work well--in the format is a testament to his strengths as a graphic storyteller. His short stories here feel like hearing about the escapades of a funny friend. You'll almost find yourself anxiously wondering aloud, "And then what happened?"

-- John Hogan
4606259
My first impression based on title alone, before reading the wonderment of this poetry book was "Not too sure about this type of literature." It simply made me feel a bit uneasy and vulnerable. However, after reading the carefully and sincerely respectable poetry, so well written and as if doing an innocent erotic dance of their own, I knew I was no longer allowed to make any type of preconceived notion when it comes to sensuality and the human touch. There is such an enormously simple beauty intertwined among each word and sentence, written in such a way that the reader may find themselves lost in another world, unlike they have ever experienced. The images portrayed are delicately and genuinely full of enamored care and lingering laces of love, as you move from one poem to the next, barely leaving the short empowering narration of the last, before being welcomed into the next room or scene of another time and experience. I give this beautifully written book of poetry a heart filled 5 stars. Pure adoring admiration for a very gifted writer. Keep the pen to the paper every so ingeniously and wonderfully.
711467
I felt immediately attracted to this book, because of the title, the cover, and the description, and I turned out to love it even more than I had expected. I'm not a big fan of thrillers or mysteries, but this is both and neither, and in addition, there are vivid characters and really beautiful yet simple prose that transcends genre literature. The novel has tiny chapters, and I read a few at a time, and it was always such a comfort to return to the lull of the road, and Ben's narration. I didn't want it to end, and will now definitely get my hands on the prequel.
I had one problem, though. Not for the life of me could I understand what happened in the end with the child. I understood who the belt belonged to, and I understood what Ben hints at, but how was this all possible?! I'm stupid like that sometimes, but it seemed a little too neatly folded and not explained enough for idiots like me. I think this may be a thing for the editors to consider as they prepare the book further? I'm a pretty careful reader with two MFAs, I'm pretty sure if this was an issue for me, it may be problematic for others, too.
3370110
Simple and yet not, the story does an excellent job of defining how a simple dream can become complicated, and turn into a whole new dream with the people and experiences gained from it. Every person is like one grain of sand in a limitless universe, and yet we all have the capability of holding that universe in our hands with enough focus and remaining true. Imperfect and beautiful read.
2979692
This novel was so easy to read because it is simply but beautifully written. On top of that, the story is so honest and down to earth. First person narratives often feel trite or incongruous to me, but it fit perfectly here. The whole flow of the book makes it so interesting, while the plot feels incredibly real. I would totally believe it if someone told me that this was a work of non-fiction. With many nuanced layers to each plot line, there is something for everyone to latch onto - passion and love, faith and religion (or lack thereof), revenge and failure - the list goes on and on. I hope the author publishes more.
3738947
The Birth of Venus is a story woven like the tapestries of Renaissance Italy that feature so prominently in the book. It is deceptively simple - unlike other period novels, there is no learning curve at the beginning that requires the reader to commit legions of historical characters to memory and keep them straight in a mental Rolodex while also trying to enjoy the storyline. (This is a pet peeve of mine, and tends to sacrifice the beauty of just reading and experiencing the book while trying to juggle who is who). Instead, Dunant unfolds the story of Alessandra Cecchi in measured and confident steps (almost like moving from panel to panel of a tapestry), with the sum of all the parts remarkable in scope and breadth. Dunant does a beautiful job immediately bringing the reader into the story. It's tightly woven and beautifully rendered, and simultaneously emotional and intellectual without being preachy about religion, art, women's issues, etc.

A beautiful read that I found myself picking up late into the night.
2715872
This was such an enjoyable short story collection that I read one story every day because each story was so beautiful I felt like I needed the time to think about it and enjoy it before reading the next. This is the first of Alice Munro that I've read and now I want to read everything she's written. This collection was moving and profound and surprising. Her prose is deceptively simple and it's beautiful. It seemed to me that Munro's stories perfectly capture the moments when our lives change course. Despite the fact that some of these stories are quite sad, it wasn't depressing. I'm more of a reader of novels than short stories, so I'd recommend this to anyone, because it made me realize how great short stories can be and I know I'll read more from now on.
2080006
A book that I literally stumbled upon (I found it in a box of 'for free' books - the other reviewers do a great job of covering the plot...

I would just like to add that, everything else put aside, the author has a great structure to his prose.  The language is pure, clean and beautiful.  Regardless of content or context, this book was a pleasure to read.
4220389
With writing both elegantly simple and deeply poetic, Anna Badkhen reveals herself as a careful observer of the Fulani world she has stepped into for reasons that at first seem mysterious. Driven by her own reasons for movement, which she reveals at just the right pace, she is drawn to the nomadic Fulani for their own ways of tranhumance, their constant movement guiding their cows across the west African landscape. Simple line drawings by the author are peppered throughout the book, capturing the mood of a place and people and serving as a lovely complement to her words. As little attention as she gives to herself, the reader is still there with her, sketchbook and notebook in hand, taking it all in -- the smells, the air, the dust, the food and fires and nighttime skies littered with stars. She describes the days of waiting for the rain to come as having a "fairytale quality to everything: the song and the singers on their quest," and she could be describing Walking with Abel, which seems timeless, almost dreamlike. Yet around the ancient herders, the modern world crashes, the climate changes, fundamentalism rages, warriors wreak their damage. "All storytelling was magic," she writes. "It could cast spells." Indeed, I was spell-bound with Badkhen's Walking with Abel. Highly recommended.
4762578
This is a clever and approachable book. On its face, this book evokes the word simple; even the map in the beginning is quaintly sparse. Most of the action takes place largely in a single village, much of it in a single shop. The world spreads out from there to include a city, a forest, a desert, and the ocean, these places only visited once. And so, this isn't a fantasy about world-building. Its a fantasy that is more personal, one that plays artfully with the idea of being a real boy in a magic world. In final contemplation, I realize that what feels like simplicity is truly elegance.