Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I'm almost a Jess Walter completist - I just have one short story collection and his two early crime/thriller books left to go - and he never disappoints me. The voice that shines through all his books is so humane, so modestly and unselfconsciously wise, it renews my faith in human beings. I don't mean that his characters are like that - they are variously flawed and complicated - or that his writing is preachy or anodyne - he's got a sharp wit and doesn't look away from hard truths. But the animating spirit of his writings is so generous and tolerant. I don't usually link an author's voice to the person, but after hearing some of his interviews, it's hard not to link the two. I liked all the stories in this collection (most previously published in small presses) but by far my favorite is the title story, which I would love to see as a film, cast with talented unknown actors who wouldn't bring a big name to cast a shadow over the story. The weakest was the last story, first published as an Amazon Original for their "Warmer Collection" of climate change fiction. I love the idea of a campus climate catastrophe comedy, but the characters seemed a little cartoony. On the other hand, I loved the section titles.
A treat for short story readers, this collection comprises different narratives and diverse personalities, many of them struggling against the odds. "The Angel of Rome" is moving as it is heartwarming, plus hilarious at times, and brilliantly constructed.
Shorts Looking Back & Ahead
Review of the HarperAudio audiobook released simultaneously with the Harper hardcover (June 28, 2022)
[3.75 Average Rating, rounded up to 4.0]
I've previously enjoyed author Jess Walter's romantic fiction [b:Beautiful Ruins|11447921|Beautiful Ruins|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1338161553l/11447921._SY75_.jpg|16381755] (2012) and historical fiction [b:The Cold Millions|50358038|The Cold Millions|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597694642l/50358038._SY75_.jpg|75306725] (2020) and had run across one of these short stories (#12) when it debuted as an Amazon Original in 2018. Overall this was a very entertaining collection of short stories, many of which read as memoirs of people looking back on dramatic events in their earlier lives which ended up dictating their futures. Some of the shorter ones were simple vignettes, some sweet and others so-so. But the more substantial stories all left strong impressions and many had some pretty wacky comic elements as well. This is Walter's 2nd short story collection following [b:We Live in Water|15818259|We Live in Water|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1350192998l/15818259._SY75_.jpg|21545868] (2013).
1. Mr. Voice ***** read by Julie Whelan. A young girl grows up with her wandering mother and eventually with her stepfather Claude, the Mister Voice of the title.
2. Fran's Friend Has Cancer **** read by Eduardo Ballerini. An elderly couple in a NYC restaurant discuss the wife making a trip out west to help the husband's cousin, the Fran of the title. They realize that the young man at the next table is writing notes of their conversation.
3. Magnificent Desolation **** read by Eduardo Ballerini. A 50-year-old divorced Science teacher finds himself attracted to the mother of one of his students who is acting out in his classes and saying the moon landing was faked.
4. Drafting *** read by Julie Whelan. While dealing with her cancer diagnosis, Myra gets back together with her old 'bad boy' boyfriend Boone on a road trip to Seattle.
5. The Angel of Rome ***** written in collaboration with & read by Eduardo Ballerini. In 1993 a young student goes to Rome to study Latin at the Vatican. He ends up in the middle of a movie set and meets an Italian film starlet and a fading American TV actor. Later in life he remembers all these events and returns to Italy with his family. This 2 hour story/novella had an earlier release as an Audible Original [b:The Angel of Rome|59040831|The Angel of Rome|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632156681l/59040831._SX50_.jpg|93064705] (September 16, 2021). The latter is currently incorrectly merged with the full collection, as if it were the same complete work.
6. Before You Blow **** read by Julie Whelan. A woman looks back on her late teenage years when she dated a boy in college. A dramatic event with friends reveals his personality to her.
7. Town & Country ***** read by Eduardo Ballerini. A gay son tries to deal with his aging father who has been kicked out of his girlfriend's house due to his libidinous ways. A possible solution is a senior's residence called the Town & Country, which is like a time capsule back to the 1950s.
8. Cross the Woods *** read by Julie Whelan. After a supposed one-night-stand a woman observes her lover teaching her son how to tie a knot in a necktie. Very short but kind of sweet.
9. To the Corner *** read by Eduardo Ballerini. An older man interacts with a group of school kids hanging around on his street corner.
10. Famous Actor *** read by Julie Whelan. A coffee shop worker has a one-night-stand with a 'famous actor' who is going through an existential crisis.
11. Balloons ** read by Eduardo Ballerini. Slacker kid earns allowance money by helping the neighbour across the road. Not much to this one.
12. The Way the World Ends **** read by Eduardo Ballerini. As with story #5, this had an earlier release as an Amazon & Audible Original [b:The Way the World Ends|41945326|The Way the World Ends (Warmer, #1)|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537371452l/41945326._SY75_.jpg|65437766] (Oct. 30, 2018 which I rated 4 stars and reviewed as Much Better Than the Title Would Suggest.
I listened to The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories through the Audible Daily Deal from October 16, 2022. The narration performances by veterans Eduardo Ballerini and Julie Whelan were excellent.
Review of the HarperAudio audiobook released simultaneously with the Harper hardcover (June 28, 2022)
[3.75 Average Rating, rounded up to 4.0]
I've previously enjoyed author Jess Walter's romantic fiction [b:Beautiful Ruins|11447921|Beautiful Ruins|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1338161553l/11447921._SY75_.jpg|16381755] (2012) and historical fiction [b:The Cold Millions|50358038|The Cold Millions|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597694642l/50358038._SY75_.jpg|75306725] (2020) and had run across one of these short stories (#12) when it debuted as an Amazon Original in 2018. Overall this was a very entertaining collection of short stories, many of which read as memoirs of people looking back on dramatic events in their earlier lives which ended up dictating their futures. Some of the shorter ones were simple vignettes, some sweet and others so-so. But the more substantial stories all left strong impressions and many had some pretty wacky comic elements as well. This is Walter's 2nd short story collection following [b:We Live in Water|15818259|We Live in Water|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1350192998l/15818259._SY75_.jpg|21545868] (2013).
1. Mr. Voice ***** read by Julie Whelan. A young girl grows up with her wandering mother and eventually with her stepfather Claude, the Mister Voice of the title.
2. Fran's Friend Has Cancer **** read by Eduardo Ballerini. An elderly couple in a NYC restaurant discuss the wife making a trip out west to help the husband's cousin, the Fran of the title. They realize that the young man at the next table is writing notes of their conversation.
3. Magnificent Desolation **** read by Eduardo Ballerini. A 50-year-old divorced Science teacher finds himself attracted to the mother of one of his students who is acting out in his classes and saying the moon landing was faked.
4. Drafting *** read by Julie Whelan. While dealing with her cancer diagnosis, Myra gets back together with her old 'bad boy' boyfriend Boone on a road trip to Seattle.
5. The Angel of Rome ***** written in collaboration with & read by Eduardo Ballerini. In 1993 a young student goes to Rome to study Latin at the Vatican. He ends up in the middle of a movie set and meets an Italian film starlet and a fading American TV actor. Later in life he remembers all these events and returns to Italy with his family. This 2 hour story/novella had an earlier release as an Audible Original [b:The Angel of Rome|59040831|The Angel of Rome|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632156681l/59040831._SX50_.jpg|93064705] (September 16, 2021). The latter is currently incorrectly merged with the full collection, as if it were the same complete work.
6. Before You Blow **** read by Julie Whelan. A woman looks back on her late teenage years when she dated a boy in college. A dramatic event with friends reveals his personality to her.
7. Town & Country ***** read by Eduardo Ballerini. A gay son tries to deal with his aging father who has been kicked out of his girlfriend's house due to his libidinous ways. A possible solution is a senior's residence called the Town & Country, which is like a time capsule back to the 1950s.
8. Cross the Woods *** read by Julie Whelan. After a supposed one-night-stand a woman observes her lover teaching her son how to tie a knot in a necktie. Very short but kind of sweet.
9. To the Corner *** read by Eduardo Ballerini. An older man interacts with a group of school kids hanging around on his street corner.
10. Famous Actor *** read by Julie Whelan. A coffee shop worker has a one-night-stand with a 'famous actor' who is going through an existential crisis.
11. Balloons ** read by Eduardo Ballerini. Slacker kid earns allowance money by helping the neighbour across the road. Not much to this one.
12. The Way the World Ends **** read by Eduardo Ballerini. As with story #5, this had an earlier release as an Amazon & Audible Original [b:The Way the World Ends|41945326|The Way the World Ends (Warmer, #1)|Jess Walter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537371452l/41945326._SY75_.jpg|65437766] (Oct. 30, 2018 which I rated 4 stars and reviewed as Much Better Than the Title Would Suggest.
I listened to The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories through the Audible Daily Deal from October 16, 2022. The narration performances by veterans Eduardo Ballerini and Julie Whelan were excellent.
In particular, five stars for the title story, which is one of the best I’ve read.
I love Jess Walter and I loved this collection of short stories.
One of the best collections of short stories I’ve read in a long while. Very good!
Few short story writers have as agile a mind as Walters. He's just naturally funny and inventive.
I randomly checked this out on Libby and it was ok, but I wasn’t fully invested. Just average for me.