Community Reviews
Chris's pick. 👍🏻
Short stories. Features a hard-boiled detective story featuring Evelyn, from Rules of Civility.
thenextgoodbook.com
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.”
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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