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veposve's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Addiction, Child death, Police brutality, Abortion, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
fbroom's review against another edition
5.0
Raw, delicate and beautiful short stories, many of which seem to be autobiographical. Some of these stories are focused on capturing the character’s feelings in a single illuminating moment. Brilliant. I enjoyed reading them and drifting with the characters in their worlds.
Notes/Descriptions of some of the short stories in the book as a reminder for me: (to be completed :()
DR. H. A. Moynihan
A short story about a summer spent working for her grandfather
El Tim
A short story about a working as a part time teacher at a catholic school dealing with a troubled kid.
A Manual for Cleaning Women
A cleaning lady’s notes. The families she worked for and some tips for other cleaning ladies.
Star and Saints
About being a little shy protestant girl in a Catholic school.
Tiger Bites
One of my favorites, about going back home for the holidays and going on a trip with her cousin Bella Lynn.
Good and Bad
A teenager living in Chile going to a private school where a teacher tries to change her mind about poverty and the revolution.
Melina
Various descriptions of this attractive unstoppable lady from the different men in her life.
Unmanageable
About being an alcoholic.
Sex Appeal
Her cousin Bella Lynn teaching her about Sex Appeal.
Notes/Descriptions of some of the short stories in the book as a reminder for me: (to be completed :()
DR. H. A. Moynihan
A short story about a summer spent working for her grandfather
El Tim
A short story about a working as a part time teacher at a catholic school dealing with a troubled kid.
A Manual for Cleaning Women
A cleaning lady’s notes. The families she worked for and some tips for other cleaning ladies.
Star and Saints
About being a little shy protestant girl in a Catholic school.
Tiger Bites
One of my favorites, about going back home for the holidays and going on a trip with her cousin Bella Lynn.
Good and Bad
A teenager living in Chile going to a private school where a teacher tries to change her mind about poverty and the revolution.
Melina
Various descriptions of this attractive unstoppable lady from the different men in her life.
Unmanageable
About being an alcoholic.
Sex Appeal
Her cousin Bella Lynn teaching her about Sex Appeal.
xtie's review against another edition
5.0
Berlin’s writing is truly legendary and filled with so much depth and melancholy. A rare 5 star! Some dated language here and there, but also not a deal breaker. This is some of the most beautiful language I have *ever* read. And the structure and order of the collection begins to make sense around 1/3 of the way thru - don’t give up!
thelunatic's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
pedrorondulhagomes's review against another edition
5.0
Por entre toda a beleza e carnificina – expressão despudoradamente roubada do título do documentário de Laura Poitras, sobre Nan Goldin – Lucia Berlin viveu. Poderia dizer: viveu intensamente, mas parece-me, no contexto, uma redundância. Apesar de muitas vezes acometida por uma aparente vertigem autodestrutiva, de imprudência em imprudência, Lucia tem ganas de viver; e é essa pulsão vital que cobre como um verniz brilhante tudo o que escreveu.
Lucia sabia identificar perfeitamente a coluna vertebral de uma história. Mesmo quando parece vaguear de memória em memória, nunca perde o sentido; conserva um instinto que a devolve de volta a casa, às vezes por caminhos muito estreitos. É irónica, divertida, cruel. Às vezes encosta-nos às cordas e dá-nos um murro no nariz. A linguagem não é pretensiosa ou elaborada, mas é por vezes surpreendente… mais do que isso, há aqui figuras de estilo que nos fazem rebolar pelo chão: os presos que parecem uma equipa de remo, os ciclistas que parecem a cauda de um papagaio, o som das folhas das palmeiras tocando-se, que parece um croupier a baralhar cartas.
Oh, Lucia… tanto talento.
Lucia sabia identificar perfeitamente a coluna vertebral de uma história. Mesmo quando parece vaguear de memória em memória, nunca perde o sentido; conserva um instinto que a devolve de volta a casa, às vezes por caminhos muito estreitos. É irónica, divertida, cruel. Às vezes encosta-nos às cordas e dá-nos um murro no nariz. A linguagem não é pretensiosa ou elaborada, mas é por vezes surpreendente… mais do que isso, há aqui figuras de estilo que nos fazem rebolar pelo chão: os presos que parecem uma equipa de remo, os ciclistas que parecem a cauda de um papagaio, o som das folhas das palmeiras tocando-se, que parece um croupier a baralhar cartas.
Oh, Lucia… tanto talento.
pokie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
waynediane's review against another edition
5.0
Great short stories, well written with quite a bit about real people, actually some of it Berlin herself. Her life in Oakland etc. Very engaging, not just about Cleaning Women. Sometimes people would leave change in an ashtray to see if the cleaning women were stealing money. The cleaning women would put in a few each cents to confuse their employers- HAHA.
erin_jones's review against another edition
dark
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0