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loujoseph's review against another edition
4.0
really strong, tight stories set in the former soviet rebublics, touching on a variety of issues of being away from home and in unfamiliar lands, and the instinct to leave home that brought the characters there. the final story also hits home, of failed reuniting.
cristyd's review against another edition
4.0
Short stories about Americans in Central Asia and former Soviet Union. Experience in this part of the world would bring a different reading experience.
One story was adapted to the film The Loneliest Planet - 4 stars for the film too.
One story was adapted to the film The Loneliest Planet - 4 stars for the film too.
dilan11's review against another edition
3.0
Besides being page turners, these stories are funny too. But they are ultimately tragic and dark.
"Death Defier" was written in third person yet remarkably close to the main character, Donk, narrating each of his thoughts and emotions. At the end of the story, Donk dies. It is jarring, almost as if at the end of a first person story the narrator dies. I think it was deliberately done though. It is almost as hard for the reader to accept Donk's death as it was for Donk.
In an Author's Note, Bissell gives the writing order of the stories. "Aral" is his earliest story and "Death Defier" is the most recent. I think the later stories are of a higher quality, which is the best thing that a writer could hope for - to get better with time.
"Death Defier" was written in third person yet remarkably close to the main character, Donk, narrating each of his thoughts and emotions. At the end of the story, Donk dies. It is jarring, almost as if at the end of a first person story the narrator dies. I think it was deliberately done though. It is almost as hard for the reader to accept Donk's death as it was for Donk.
In an Author's Note, Bissell gives the writing order of the stories. "Aral" is his earliest story and "Death Defier" is the most recent. I think the later stories are of a higher quality, which is the best thing that a writer could hope for - to get better with time.
giorgeliot's review against another edition
Allegro come masticare sabbia, l'inguaribile ottimismo di Bissell accompagnerà le vostre vacanze facendovi immaginare luoghi lontani e esotici, in un caleidoscopio di solitudine e amarezza che non potranno non farvi apprezzare la spiaggia assolata in cui state leggendo.
Insomma - amarezza a palate, però gran bei racconti.
Insomma - amarezza a palate, però gran bei racconti.
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