"those thrumming radiant selves"

An imagination. A worship. A scribble.

If you ever need a rabbit-hole to fall through, google “collective noun for writers.” 

All three feel true for those included in the collection The O. Henry Prize Stories: 100^th Anniversary Edition edited by Laura Furman. I was especially taken with the story “Julia and Sunny” by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum. Partly I think because it chronicles a couples’ friendship which I’ve always aspired to but never been able to achieve. I admit to feeling a smidge smug when the friendship dissolves along with one of the marriages, but more importantly, familiar details of harried parenthood stuck with me more. Why is the trip to the post office always pushed to the bottom of the list? How we long for naptime.

I was chuffed*, then, to discover Bynum’s story collection Likes. From Waldorf school faires, celebrity neighbors, and orange cats to middle school tribulations, each story is a little bit magical without failing to be relatable. In her novel Ms. Hempel Chronicles, we enter the world of seventh grade teacher Beatrice Hempel with all the student (and teacher) drama that entails. Ms. Hempel looks with envy upon those who have moved on to other careers but is not quite sure how to step off the pedestal built by her adoring students.  

A chapter. A library. An excellence.

Yep, those too.

 

*Thank you, British baking shows

“These deprivations never leave us”

One of my favorite lessons for the ESL classroom teaches students about intonation. Students are given a simple word (such as “hello”) and then asked to say the word…

to their boss

to their best friend

to an attractive person at a bar

to a six-month old baby

In case you were wondering, the way we talk to babies is universal.

This lesson came to mind as I read Eliabeth Strout’s novel Oh William! As the protagonist, Lucy, recounts stories about her first husband, William, she repeatedly ends the anecdote with “Oh William.” This simple phrase speaks volumes depending on the occasion. Lucy, a writer herself, adroitly uses the phrase to express surprise, annoyance, pity, empathy, sorrow, and disappointment.

If you haven’t read Strout’s other books about Lucy (My Name is Lucy Barton and Anything Is Possible), you’ll be able to follow the narrative. But if you have, her cryptic references to her childhood and relationship to her mother will make more sense.

Despite the oftentimes dark subject matter, when all is said and done, you’ll hear “Oh William!” spoken with delight.

"a spectacle of indecency"

Workers rally in favor of union. Wealth inequality is only getting worse.

Headlines familiar to today’s readers wouldn’t have been foreign to the early 1900s reporter of Jess Walter’s The Cold Millions. Set primarily in Spokane, Washington, the novel examines the struggles of miners and day laborers. 

Brothers Rye and Gig are among those who scrape by on odd jobs. Tired of the hustle, they gravitate to the union hall, not only to fight for their rights, but for the free breakfast. When a policeman is found dead, the tension between the workers and management escalates. Gig ends up in prison, and Rye strikes an unsavory deal with the richest man in town, Brand.

Fans of historical fiction and contemporary lit will both find something to love in this story. One of my favorite scenes takes place between the retiring vaudeville actress and her successor. Read the excerpt.

This book also checks off a box from my reading challenge. Find other Washington State Award Winners here.

Five Tuesdays in Winter

Did you make a resolution to read more in 2022? You might try the challenge over at Book Riot. Or you might create a BINGO board like the one provided by my local library.

I started off the year with a new book of short stories by one of my favorite authors, Lily King. Five Tuesdays in Winter includes a little romance, a lot of adolescent awkwardness, and a fair bit of mother-child angst. King’s characters are reminiscent of friends you had in college or a coworkers’ eccentric aunt. Ones you can look on fondly, yet remain nostalgically detached, while you enjoy hearing about their antics. While the stories touch on realistic themes, they remain sunny enough for even the coldest winter afternoon of reading.

For more short story recommendations, click here. (Or click on "stories" under the Index on the right.)