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Readers say *Table for Two* showcases Amor Towles' elegant prose and character-driven storytelling through six distinct short stories and a novella co...
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What’s it about?
This is a collection of six short stories (all have some connection to New York City) and a novella. The novella follows the character of Eve from Amor Towles earlier novel, Rules of Civility.
What did it make me think about?
I forgot how satisfying a good short story can be.
Should I read it?
I wasn’t so sure about this book when I picked it up. Short stories and a novella? It just seemed a little awkward. I should not have ever doubted Amor Towles. He has written a delightful collection of short stories and the novella was enjoyable as well. Each story was thoughtful in it’s own way, but I had my favorites- my guess is every reader will be drawn to a different story or stories. One of my favorites involved a young investment banker named Tommy, Before we go further, perhaps I should mention that I love Tommy. I loved him the first night we went out; I loved him when he got down on one knee to propose in his pajamas; I loved him when he almost missed the birth of our daughter because he was getting a milkshake at a diner a few blocks from the hospital; and I love him right now at this very minute. But when a man is paid to provide his opinions and he’s had some success in doing so, he is bound to become a little insufferable.” Somehow his books just make you want to curl up in a comfortable chair and keep reading. He is definitely on my list of favorite authors!
Quote-
” I want to hear what’s happened no matter how ugly, or uncomfortable, or unnerving it might be. Because if we don’t stare down the things that make us want to look away, then the world is just a mirage.”
What’s it about?
This is a collection of six short stories (all have some connection to New York City) and a novella. The novella follows the character of Eve from Amor Towles earlier novel, Rules of Civility.
What did it make me think about?
I forgot how satisfying a good short story can be.
Should I read it?
I wasn’t so sure about this book when I picked it up. Short stories and a novella? It just seemed a little awkward. I should not have ever doubted Amor Towles. He has written a delightful collection of short stories and the novella was enjoyable as well. Each story was thoughtful in it’s own way, but I had my favorites- my guess is every reader will be drawn to a different story or stories. One of my favorites involved a young investment banker named Tommy, Before we go further, perhaps I should mention that I love Tommy. I loved him the first night we went out; I loved him when he got down on one knee to propose in his pajamas; I loved him when he almost missed the birth of our daughter because he was getting a milkshake at a diner a few blocks from the hospital; and I love him right now at this very minute. But when a man is paid to provide his opinions and he’s had some success in doing so, he is bound to become a little insufferable.” Somehow his books just make you want to curl up in a comfortable chair and keep reading. He is definitely on my list of favorite authors!
Quote-
” I want to hear what’s happened no matter how ugly, or uncomfortable, or unnerving it might be. Because if we don’t stare down the things that make us want to look away, then the world is just a mirage.”
Chris's pick. 👍🏻
Short stories. Features a hard-boiled detective story featuring Evelyn, from Rules of Civility.
I love Amor Towles and looked forward to his latest book, but I was disappointed to learn that it was a collection of short stories and not a full length novel. Even so, I knew to expect excellence from Towles and savored each story.
There is a touch of sadness in each story. In the first one, set in Russia, Pushkin faces line after line, and even after moving, his wife is still disappointed in him. His kind spirit is admirable, but good things don't always happen to the kind of heart.
I ached for the young aspiring writing who gets caught up with a scheme generated by his boss, a bookseller. You just know this is going to go sideways at some point.
There's the story of John, who loves to skate, and his wife Peggy, who sees it as a betrayal of sorts.
The old man at Carnegie Hall and the couple sitting next to him.
Towles did a fine job of writing some clever, original stories that will resonate with you for a long time and give you things to mull over about the human character.
There is a touch of sadness in each story. In the first one, set in Russia, Pushkin faces line after line, and even after moving, his wife is still disappointed in him. His kind spirit is admirable, but good things don't always happen to the kind of heart.
I ached for the young aspiring writing who gets caught up with a scheme generated by his boss, a bookseller. You just know this is going to go sideways at some point.
There's the story of John, who loves to skate, and his wife Peggy, who sees it as a betrayal of sorts.
The old man at Carnegie Hall and the couple sitting next to him.
Towles did a fine job of writing some clever, original stories that will resonate with you for a long time and give you things to mull over about the human character.
Six short stories and a novella. The novella about Eve, a character from Rules of Civility, was my favorite, with its twisty-turny plot and the skillful blend of how true-life Hollywood characters, and fictional ones, came together in a satisfying conclusion. My favorite short stories were The Bootlegger and Hasta Luego. Both had plenty of heart and seemed to be about people who gave a darn or had a degree of redeeming value. I enjoyed the format, was able to dip in and out quickly, as plot lines wrapped up. Each story had a beginning, middle and end.
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