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jgilge's review against another edition
4.0
I'm giving this one a very high 4 star rating. I went into this book not knowing what to expect, and not expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised by the stories in here. They were real, and made me want to keep reading. I loved the characters, flawed but so realistic. The writing was excellent. I can't wait to see what this author does next.
robinbsmith's review against another edition
5.0
Couldn’t put it down. Stories of heartache, longing, and wry humor. Messy feelings and relationships in flux, with moments of awkward, vulnerable, and even strident, triumphal personal growth. Keenly detailed and characterized; alternately charming, profound, sad, tender, bittersweet, funny, and occasionally harrowing; sprinkled with levity and unexpected turns; deft, humane, and astute.
warrenh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jackieeh's review against another edition
4.0
I'm going to have to stop saying, "I'm usually not a fan of short stories, but..." eventually, because I keep reading exceptions. This collection is exceptional. And it was funny to read it in Colorado when I am usually so close (SO close) to these locations and people.
cwolters92's review against another edition
3.0
An eclectic collection of funny and disturbing stories, not sure Kansas was an essential part of any of them though.
haeslett's review against another edition
4.0
i did not know vinland was a hippie kingdom jusqu'à ce livre
zade's review against another edition
5.0
I have such mixed feelings about this collection of stories, but I mean that in the best way. Mandelbaum is an incredibly skilled writer. She can turn a phrase so perfect you'll want to read it aloud to your cat, just to hear the words. Then she'll do it again on the next page. Her sense of language-- how it feels, how words shape each other, how people talk and think-- is worthy of a poet.
The characters in these stories are painfully human. They remind me more than anything of the people in Annie Proulx's Wyoming stories. (And in case you don't know, comparing any writer to Proulx is just about the most profound compliment possible.) These are people desperately trying to find connections, to fit in, to find their place in a world filled with other lost souls. Some of them are sweet and sad. Some of them are assholes. But even the worst of them is drawn with such compassion, it's impossible not to ache for them even as you dislike their actions.
I bought this book because it was a staff pick at the Raven bookstore in Lawrence and because I am from Eastern Kansas. I thought it would be fun to read something set in an area I know well, to compare the author's sense of place to my own. I did not expect to come away so troubled, with a hollow spot in my chest, with so many stories and images and ideas tumbling around in my head. It's a wonderful turbulence.
This is one of the rare books I will read again soon after finishing it. I want to let it sink in and settle, then go back to see what I've missed and to revel in Mandelbaum's prose again. I have a shelf of books that took my breath away. This is going on it.
The characters in these stories are painfully human. They remind me more than anything of the people in Annie Proulx's Wyoming stories. (And in case you don't know, comparing any writer to Proulx is just about the most profound compliment possible.) These are people desperately trying to find connections, to fit in, to find their place in a world filled with other lost souls. Some of them are sweet and sad. Some of them are assholes. But even the worst of them is drawn with such compassion, it's impossible not to ache for them even as you dislike their actions.
I bought this book because it was a staff pick at the Raven bookstore in Lawrence and because I am from Eastern Kansas. I thought it would be fun to read something set in an area I know well, to compare the author's sense of place to my own. I did not expect to come away so troubled, with a hollow spot in my chest, with so many stories and images and ideas tumbling around in my head. It's a wonderful turbulence.
This is one of the rare books I will read again soon after finishing it. I want to let it sink in and settle, then go back to see what I've missed and to revel in Mandelbaum's prose again. I have a shelf of books that took my breath away. This is going on it.
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