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tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
4.0
These are not pretty stories, but they are beautiful.
agusrecomienda's review against another edition
4.0
Espero muchos meses para que este libro llegara a Argentina y valió la pena. Consta de cuatro cuentos que te conmueven de una manera impensada, te atacan, me atrevería a decir, un lado íntimo que muchos de nosotros desconocemos tener.
pinknblue's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
danni_faith's review against another edition
I could not get into Olsen's writing style. I found it confusing and requiring more effort than I was willing to put in.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first story "I Stand Here Ironing." I was interested in the subject matter and themes she was exploring in the other three, but, alas the prose and structure barred from a pleasurable reading experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first story "I Stand Here Ironing." I was interested in the subject matter and themes she was exploring in the other three, but, alas the prose and structure barred from a pleasurable reading experience.
rachelm31f6b's review
3.0
This book was good but I felt a great heaviness reading many of these stories.(It's a compilation of 4 short stories). The last story (the title story) I had to put down many times in the beginning, it did redeem itself in the end and I was able to enjoy it. Thank goodness because otherwise it would have left a bad taste in my mouth.
Um..spoilers I guess?
"After him she sobbed curses he had not heard in years, old-country curses from their childhood: Grow, oh shall you grow like an onion, with your head in the ground. Like the hide of a drum shall you be, beaten in life, beaten in death. Oh shall you be like a chandelier, to hang, and to burn..."(74).
"...not Davy, but he is already here, having to die again with her this time, for the living take their dead with them when they die"(108).
"Escaped to the grandchildren whose childhoods were childish, who had never hungered, who live unravaged by disease in warm houses of many rooms, had all the school for which they cared, could walk on any street, stood a head taller than their grandparents, towered above-beautiful skins, straight backs, clear straightforward eyes. 'Yes, you in Olshana,' he said to the town of sixty years ago, 'they would seem nobility to you'(112).
"The world of their youth-dark ignorant, terrible with hate and disease- how was it that living in it, in the midst of corruption, filth, treachery, degradation, they had not mistrusted man nor themselves; had believed so beautifully, so...falsely?"(113).
Um..spoilers I guess?
"After him she sobbed curses he had not heard in years, old-country curses from their childhood: Grow, oh shall you grow like an onion, with your head in the ground. Like the hide of a drum shall you be, beaten in life, beaten in death. Oh shall you be like a chandelier, to hang, and to burn..."(74).
"...not Davy, but he is already here, having to die again with her this time, for the living take their dead with them when they die"(108).
"Escaped to the grandchildren whose childhoods were childish, who had never hungered, who live unravaged by disease in warm houses of many rooms, had all the school for which they cared, could walk on any street, stood a head taller than their grandparents, towered above-beautiful skins, straight backs, clear straightforward eyes. 'Yes, you in Olshana,' he said to the town of sixty years ago, 'they would seem nobility to you'(112).
"The world of their youth-dark ignorant, terrible with hate and disease- how was it that living in it, in the midst of corruption, filth, treachery, degradation, they had not mistrusted man nor themselves; had believed so beautifully, so...falsely?"(113).
isthar's review against another edition
4.0
El primer relato, "Aquí estoy, planchando" me ha parecido desgarrador y capaz de engancharte desde el primer momento. Los dos siguientes, "¿Qué barco, marinero?" y "Oh, sí", no me han llegado tanto, aunque reconozco su valía, pero la presentación de los personajes me han confundido un poco. El último, "Dime una adivinanza", vuelve a tener el tono, en mi opinión, del primero y logra volver a hacerte sentir la soledad y devastación del mismo.
Tille Olsen es una de las escritoras más famosas de la literatura norteamericana, según reza en los papeles. Por estos relatos creo que es una gran escritora de la soledad, de los sueños y la vida que se ha escapado. Quizás conocía bien esas sensaciones: fue una escritora de "cuando los niños duermen" como lo es Alice Munro, por ejemplo.
Un libro que deja un gusto agridulce, por lo bien escrito que está y por los sentimientos que refleja.
Tille Olsen es una de las escritoras más famosas de la literatura norteamericana, según reza en los papeles. Por estos relatos creo que es una gran escritora de la soledad, de los sueños y la vida que se ha escapado. Quizás conocía bien esas sensaciones: fue una escritora de "cuando los niños duermen" como lo es Alice Munro, por ejemplo.
Un libro que deja un gusto agridulce, por lo bien escrito que está y por los sentimientos que refleja.
spoko's review
5.0
In my continuing attempt to read things with some Nebraska connection, and also (mostly) in honor of Olsen's passing at the beginning of the year, I thought I would read something from her. It turns out that this is really her only completed book of fiction, so I suppose it's not unusual that this is the one I would settle on. Having read the book, in any case, there is one thing I can say for sure: Holy hell, this woman could write. I'm not sure I've ever read a more powerful collection of stories. She has an incredibly tight grip on the human psyche, and from the very first page she takes you exactly where she wants you to go. Not to say that the writing is manipulative. It's just so evocative and compelling. If you don't cry while reading this book, you're not human. When I finished the last (and most gripping) story, I was physically unable to rise from the chair.
In case you hadn't guessed, this isn't a real light, cheery book. This may give you some sense: I found myself thinking, throughout the book, that Olsen is the writer Annie Proulx wishes she could be. There are several significant differences between the two (not least that Olsen is simply a better writer), but the one that stands out for me most now that I've finished the book is that Olsen's writing—while every bit as depressing as Proulx's—has more to it. After reading Annie Proulx, you get this feeling that someone has just drug you to the ground and kicked the hell out of you for no good reason. With Olsen, on the other hand, it's more like you've spent time with an angel, or even a god, who has managed to illuminate for you some of the inner workings of the world and the human mind. There is a sadness which suffuses the book, but that's not its goal.
I'm not sure why I'm spending so much time comparing these two authors, in any case. But there you go.
In case you hadn't guessed, this isn't a real light, cheery book. This may give you some sense: I found myself thinking, throughout the book, that Olsen is the writer Annie Proulx wishes she could be. There are several significant differences between the two (not least that Olsen is simply a better writer), but the one that stands out for me most now that I've finished the book is that Olsen's writing—while every bit as depressing as Proulx's—has more to it. After reading Annie Proulx, you get this feeling that someone has just drug you to the ground and kicked the hell out of you for no good reason. With Olsen, on the other hand, it's more like you've spent time with an angel, or even a god, who has managed to illuminate for you some of the inner workings of the world and the human mind. There is a sadness which suffuses the book, but that's not its goal.
I'm not sure why I'm spending so much time comparing these two authors, in any case. But there you go.
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