Reviews

Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro

lagerlout's review against another edition

4.0

How is this my first Alice Munro book? I now must devour everything she has ever written.

emilyisreading2024's review against another edition

4.0

Munro's writing is brilliant, of course, although there are a lot of weird characters in these stories...

tonytharakan's review against another edition

4.0

There is too little happiness in Alice Munro's "Too Much Happiness". This collection of short stories by a Nobel Prize-winning author deals with pretty serious stuff -- murder, violence, cruelty, self-mutilation and adultery. And yet, there are signs of hope in each tragedy. Munro is a skilled writer who paints her characters with consummate ease. My only quibble is that the last story, the titular one, is a work of historical fiction estranged from the otherwise plebeian lives of small-town Canada.

pattydsf's review against another edition

4.0

I bought this book for my Kindle because I had finished all that I wanted to read at that time. I have been stingy about what books I buy for the Kindle - I want them to be good. And I knew that Munro would hold up for repeated readings if I wanted to do so.

I don't know why some people do not read short stories. I happen to love them. I like being brought into people's lives just long enough to learn a little bit. And then there is so much I don't know. I guess that bothers some people, but not me.

Alice Munro is an amazing writer. Her style and use of language is just so good. I am so glad I had time to really savor these stories.

snickies's review against another edition

4.0

So it turns out that I like Alice Munro.

heidiimmes's review against another edition

5.0

A really well-written, interesting, lovely collection of stories.

lindsayharmon's review against another edition

4.0

So glad she changed her mind about that whole retirement thing!

ula_j's review against another edition

4.0

Short stories can be tough. They can be too short, too long, make you wish it was a full novel, or just kind of pointless. But this collection is almost perfect. Every story left me thinking about it for awhile after I was done but they wouldn't have worked as full length novels. She is a true master of her craft.

leighbeevee's review against another edition

4.0

I thought the first 8 stories were much stronger than the last two. Any one could easily be its own novel. Simply incredible.

kittymamers's review against another edition

4.0

ma tahtsin siit tegelikult lugeda ainult nimilugu, "Too Much Happiness", sest see pidi rääkima 19. sajandi naismatemaatikust Sofia Kovalevskajast. aga kui ma juba terve raamatu koju tõin, siis lugesin ikka teised novellid ka läbi ja mulle (kes ma novelle üldiselt ei armasta) tõesti meeldisid. ülejäänud ei olnud reaalsete inimeste põhjal kirjutatud, vaid lihtsalt inimeste eludest, põhiliselt naiste, aga siin oli ikka mehi ka.

mis puutub Kovalevskajasse, siis Munro ise ütleb järelsõnas/tänusõnades, et tuleks ikkagi lugeda tervet seda elulooraamatut, mis teda (Munrot) ennast võlus ja inspireeris. aga minul on tunne, et see üks novell oli täpselt paras ja et rohkem ei olegi vaja - mitte sellepärast, et teema vüi subjekt poleks huvitav, vaid oligi lihtsalt nii hästi kirjutatud novell.