This might be the sole book that I have read thrice in my entire life. And some of these stories, I am certain (such as "The Night in Question" and "Bullet in the Brain"), I have read far more times than that. Wolff writes with all the economic efficiency of Raymond Carver. Just like Carver, his stories possess a subtext that is much more resounding than what is actually transpiring on the page.

However, unlike Carver, Wolff's stories go places. They pivot around the borderline eccentric - a faux obituary, a man-bites-dog story, mistaken identity - yet they are so firmly rooted in reality that they seem utterly convincing. This isn't writing for the sake of writing. And while his stories could serve as the foundation for what to do in any kind of creative writing, there are no literary histrionics. Everything occurs to advance the story being told, and that makes these stories - above all else - extremely HUMAN. He is, without a doubt, one of my favorite writers.

When I read all of Carver's stories, I felt orphaned.

And I always listened to the duets of Carver-Cheever and Carver-Wolff. For different reasons, I suppose. But I was afraid to get into Wolff. They said he was even, sometimes better. I was afraid in case I didn't like him. But I have loved him. The stories are really good, less laconic than Carver but with a disturbing underlying feeling and with very surprising ideas. There hasn't been a single one that I haven't liked. To mention a few, Smorgasbord, Cordura, The Other Miller, Mortals, Dust, A Low Down, The Life of the Body. How great. I have two other books waiting for me somewhere and I have stretched this one out as much as I could. What a relief and what a pleasure, Mr. Wolff. Nice to meet you.

I find Wolff's writing style to be a refreshing change. His stories are filled with complex characters and unexpected twists that keep me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to explore more of his works and see where his imagination takes me.

Overall, I highly recommend Wolff's stories to anyone who enjoys reading literary fiction. They are sure to leave a lasting impression and will make you think about life in a whole new way.

I read The Night in Question over a few weeks, taking it one story at a time.

As a result, some of the stories have already become hazy in my mind. However, I do vividly remember that each time I looked forward to picking up this collection.

And once I started a story, I simply had to finish it right then and there. Wolff is truly a master of the short story genre, and this collection is uniformly excellent.

The pacing is perfect, and it provides a great sense of satisfaction.

Each story draws you in and keeps you engaged until the very end.

It's a collection that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys well-crafted short stories.

Even though some of the details may have faded from my memory, the overall impact of the collection remains strong.

I'm sure that if I were to read it again, I would discover new nuances and enjoy it just as much, if not more.

These stories truly showcase Wolff's remarkable strengths.

The narrative flow is brisk and engaging, pulling the reader along with ease. The characters are memorable, coming to life in just a few deft strokes. There are also those odd nuggets of wisdom and pithy metaphors that add depth and interest.

I have a deep love for Wolff's work, and this collection does not disappoint. There are several fine stories within its pages. My absolute favorite is the title story. In it, Wolff manages to tell a one-scene story that, miraculously, seems to conjure up the full lives and histories of a brother and sister, as well as their family's history. I also have a great appreciation for "The Life of the Body."

However, some of the stories are a bit too brisk for my personal taste. They seem almost like sketches rather than fully developed stories. "Mortals," for example, or "Migraine." These stories approach poetry in their concision and ambiguity, but in my view, they don't quite reach that level. The language is perhaps too spare and plain, lacking the depth that would give the stories more substance.

Spoiler Alert

"Bullet in the Brain" is a story that many Wolff fans adore, but I don't quite understand this enthusiasm. I do like the way it ends, with the character's thoughts as he is dying. However, I simply can't buy into the set-up. The smart-mouthing to armed bank robbers feels too Hollywood to me. I think an ordinary death could have allowed Wolff to write that ending, but instead, he chose to stage an unbelievable set piece, at least in my opinion.

Mr. Wolfe is truly amazing in his profound understanding of human nature.

This book, which was first published in 1996, has a certain charm that makes the stories within it feel as if they are set in the 1950s and 1960s.

The way he portrays the characters and their emotions is so vivid and detailed that it transports the reader back in time.

It's as if we are witnesses to the events and struggles that took place during those eras.

The language and writing style add to the overall atmosphere, making it a captivating read.

Despite being published relatively recently, the book has a timeless quality that allows it to resonate with readers of all generations.

It's a testament to Mr. Wolfe's talent as a writer and his ability to create stories that are both engaging and thought-provoking.

Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or simply interested in exploring the depths of human nature, this book is definitely worth a read.

I really am reading this one too.

It is going at a very slow pace.

I am reading it one word at a time.

This way, I can fully understand each and every word.

Sometimes, it feels like a laborious task, but I know it is necessary.

By reading slowly, I can pick up on the nuances and details that I might otherwise miss.

It also allows me to think about the meaning of each word and how it contributes to the overall message of the text.

Even though it is taking a long time, I am determined to finish reading this one carefully.

I believe that this slow and deliberate approach will help me gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the material.

So, I will continue to read, one word at a time, until I have completed this task.

Started yesterday with "Mortals" - a story that is typically deadpan and mysterious. Wolff has been compared to Raymond Carver for good reason. His writing style shares some similarities with Carver's, with a focus on the ordinary and the hidden emotions within.

The second story, "Casualty," is set in Vietnam. It presents more good, gritty stuff, the kind that "dirty fiction" is made of, I suppose. The story delves into the harsh realities of war and its impact on the lives of the characters.

Last night's story, "Powder," brought back memories of me in the company of my bad-acting father. Even down to the little sports car, it felt like a short-and-sweet (or bitter) reality. Wolff's ability to evoke such vivid memories and emotions through his writing is truly remarkable.

I've been reading several stories the past few days by battery light while my power is out. We just had a whopper of a storm, a mini-hurricane, that blew a lot of big trees down on various necessary man-made objects like power lines, cars, and houses. I'm still waiting now (3 days) for power. Gotta have that power! My observation is that the author uses some elements and characters from his own trying youth in these stories. "The Life of the Body" (San Francisco), "Flyboys" (Washington), "Sanity" (SoCal), "The Other Miller" (central Cali), "Two Boys and a Girl" (more Washington - the author's boyhood state, I do believe). All good...

Moving on through "Migraine" and "The Chain" (with strong echoes of "In the Bedroom"), I have to say that I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed at times. Nothing drastic, but Wolff seems in this collection, at least, not to have equaled or surpassed "The Barracks Thief." He's not quite up to Richard Ford or Raymond Carver. Certainly not Alice Munro either...

Three stories to go, two of which appeared in The New Yorker. I suppose the best is for last. "Lady's Dream" contains another likely reference to the author's mother and wacko/abusive stepfather.

"The Night in Question" is another story on the abusive parent theme, and it's a good one. Appeared in the New Yorker, so I might have already read it, but I don't recall.

Finished up with "Firelight" and "A Bullet in the Brain," the second story that appeared in The New Yorker. What more can I say? I like Tobias Wolff a lot, but not as much as some other short story writers. This one's pretty easy to rate. 3.75* rounds up to 4*.

A collection of nine short American stories.

Just the part I liked

"Falling in love with a girl like Liddy is an unconscious rebellion against his father. Because a person doesn't fall in love. No. Life is not poetry. A person chooses to be in love and has reasons for his choice, just like any choice that has reasons if you look deep into it. Once you clarify the reasons for yourself, you will take your choices into your own hands. It's that simple."

Conjunto de historias, la mayoría de ellas hacen de una u otra manera un desmembramiento de la familia y sus múltiples problemas, así como las diferentes dinámicas familiares. These stories often explore the complex and often painful issues that can tear a family apart. From infidelity to domestic abuse and even animal cruelty, the topics covered are not for the faint of heart.

Each story offers a unique perspective on the challenges that families face and the ways in which they try to cope. Some families are able to overcome their difficulties and emerge stronger, while others are not so fortunate. Through these tales, we are able to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition and the importance of family.

Whether you are looking for a thought-provoking read or simply a way to escape into another world, this conjunto de historias is sure to captivate and engage you. So sit back, relax, and prepare to be taken on a journey through the joys and sorrows of family life.

The author of This Boy's Life, Wolff, possesses a writing style that is both straight-forward and captivating. His characters find themselves in situations that aren't always as they initially appear, yet they remain strangely familiar. This collection of short stories lacks a single overarching narrative theme or subject matter. Instead, it is a compilation of Wolff's earlier works that were published in magazines like The New Yorker and The Atlantic.

Among my favorites is "The Other Miller," which tells the story of an American soldier in Vietnam who is informed of his mother's recent passing. The title hints at the error that has occurred, and although the twist in the story is somewhat predictable, Wolff still manages to evoke a sense of dread in the reader, similar to an inescapable train wreck.

Another story features a boy left at home with his best friend's girlfriend, presenting the common tale of betrayal and love in a refreshing manner. When it comes to short story collections, I usually prefer to read them sporadically to prolong the experience. However, as I anticipated, once I finished one story, I felt compelled to move on to the next. Wolff's stories may not be flashy or ostentatious, but they manage to be both familiar and uncomfortable in a highly perceptive way.

REVIEW

I had never heard of Tobias Wolff until I randomly stumbled upon his book in a thrift store. A bit of pre-read internet research revealed that I should have known about him. It turns out he is highly lauded, showered with awards and adoration, and has published some semi-classics like In Pharoah's Army. Armed with this knowledge, I held off on reading the book, confident that it would be an interesting read for a later day, and also eager to test the esteem of such a praised author.

Last week, I finally began reading The Night in Question, a collection of Wolff's short stories. My initial sceptical hesitation and urge to burst this author's bubble gradually vanished as I became solely focused on exploring the book. I wasn't immediately impressed and warmed up to his methods slowly. Generally, Wolff's style in these stories is to create an interesting character and situation and then illuminate the character from multiple perspectives. Sometimes, he delves shockingly deep into the human psyche, placing characters I had never seen written about before on cloud-topping pedestals. Thus, if you're not into the character/s of a particular story, you probably won't be into the story either - but I'm pretty sure you'll be intrigued by them. However, at other times, he creates a story where the main character is obscured or the focus shifts to multiple characters or something less interesting, as in the first story in the book, "Mortals". He also infuses his stories with a rambling quality, often introducing and partially exploring new characters at any point in the tale, including the end, as in the second story, "Casualty". I found the rambling nature very pleasing at times, as if I was on a theme park ride through tunnels of humanity, but also sometimes unsatisfying, as the compromise in story length meant that few of the characters were fully fleshed out or had a conclusive ending. So, what I'm trying to say is that the first two stories in Night, while still good, suffered from too much rambling and character muddling of an inconclusive nature for me to love them (although they also suffered from being the first).

After that, however, aside from Wolff's penchant for giving his characters immature, revenge-based concluding actions, I found most of the rest of the stories in Night to be brilliant. His stories are deceptively simple on the surface, with basic moralistic platforms or clichéd plot foundations, but are usually told so beautifully, with juicy details and asides, or enough levels of subtle complexity, that they soar beyond mundane heights. He definitely entertained me, made me think, occasionally blew my mind a little, and had me mumbling out loud "oh yeah, this guy's good." I have to admit, I didn't fully understand some of his endings, and I imagine that under intense literature analysis, some may prove to be highly symbolic. But I think some of them may also be rambling bits designed to put the story back in its place in a powerful way; as just one of many in a wide, wide world.

I won't reveal anything else about the stories in this review, as I went into them blindly, and I think you'll have more fun doing the same. I will say more about them in a short summary below, which I urge you to ignore until after you've read the book, due to spoilers - unless you really like spoiling your own fun or don't like surprises. I also encourage conversation - feel free to comment on my summaries/notes etc. and maybe we can learn more together.

True Rating 4.5 Stars


----------------MINI-SUMMARIES/NOTES/SPOILERS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ordered by Story

1. Mortals

- The story follows a frustrated writer who is stuck writing obituaries every day. He calls in his own obituary, which leads to the main character getting fired. The conversation between them is not very exciting, and the base message of the story is a bit平淡. However, Wolff's descriptions of the protagonist's boss firing him and the protagonist's learned cynicism toward death are quite good.
- The ending with a mime is a nice touch.

2. Casualty

- This is a fairly boring Vietnam tale about two soldiers, BD and Ryan. Ryan dies due to his big mouth, and various interactions occur that are not overly interesting. The weakest story in the collection.
- However, Wolff's description of BD's inability to tell the story of Ryan's death to his girlfriend and the dark message it leaves behind is quite powerful.

3. Powder

- A short and beautiful tale of a father and son. They have a bonding experience as the father risks much to get his son home to his ex-wife on Christmas Eve. The father's humming as he drives through difficult sections of the road adds a nice touch.

4. The Life of the Body

- The story of a High School English teacher who gets drunk at a bar and embarrasses himself. The story then continues with various repercussions, including trauma, race relations in class, a potential love affair, stalking, and the theme of truth vs white lies. Not a mind-blowing story, but quite interesting overall.

5. Flyboys

- A fantastic tale that explores different family lives and the influence of income. Told through the lens of several boys building a plane, it also includes a touching story of old friends who have drifted apart. The tragic death of Freddy's older brother, Tanker, hangs over the story and adds to its significance.

6. Sanity

- Claire and April walk back from visiting Claire's insane husband, and Claire tells April about her sexy old flame, Darsh. In the end, April sets Claire up with a car salesman. A bit shallow, but enjoyable and nicely concluded.

7. The Other Miller

- A soldier with a strange maternal relationship thinks he's getting out of training duty due to the death of another Miller. However, it's not clear if it's actually his mother who died. The story takes a bizarre twist when they visit a fortune teller. The privates are weak characters, but the story is neat overall.

8. Two Boys and a Girl

- The story of Mary Ann, her boyfriend Rafe, and their friend Gilbert. They have a memorable summer together, and unspoken feelings develop between Mary Ann and Gilbert. However, it never quite works out for them, and the ending is a bit silly.
- Overall, it's an expertly told tale of "what could have been" and unquenched desires.

9. Migraine

- The story of a cynical woman, Joyce, who gets terrible migraines and whose roommate/lover, Dina, is moving out. Joyce rants and raves about people being unable to give freely and how alone we all are, but in the end, she succumbs to love and doesn't want Dina to go. It seems like Joyce may be using her migraines to keep Dina around.

10. The Chain

- A Jewish man watches in horror as his daughter is mauled by a dog and then accepts his cousin's offer to take revenge. This leads to a chain of violence that has tragic consequences. A simple story with a good meaty read.

11. Smorgasbord

- A fun and unique story about a poor scholarship boy and a muscle-bound loner who go to supper with the sexy step-mother of a rich classmate. It's a "The Graduate/Sexual-Awakening" story with more depth, including failed love, awkward friendship, and how the other half lives. Full of witty asides and expertly-crafted life observations.

12. Lady's Dream

- A short and brilliant story told through Lady's dream. She realizes how her husband, Robert, has molded her into the proper woman he envisioned. The dream also reveals the complexity of their early relationship and how she let him use her. A fantastic story.

13. The Night in Question

- A messed up and difficult to fully understand story about Frank, Frances, and their father. Their father's actions have a lasting impact on their lives, and the story explores themes of family, abuse, and redemption.

14. Firelight

- A quirky tale about a broke mother and her son searching for apartments. Their searches are more of a fantasy, as they can't afford the rent. They meet a unique character on a university campus. Wolff seems to have a thing for tales of academic boys and their mothers.

15. Bullet in the Brain

- A critic is shot in the head during a bank robbery. This story seems like a way for Wolff to take revenge on book critics, as he describes the critic's life and death in great detail. A brilliant and difficult to criticize story.

Excellent compilation of shorts! It was truly capped off with what might just be the best short story I've ever had the pleasure of reading. That story is "Bullet In The Brain", which tells the tale of a jaded book critic. This critic has the habit of critiquing everything and everyone around him. Naturally, his sharp tongue eventually gets him into a world of trouble and he ends up getting shot in the head. However, as the bullet travels through his brain, something remarkable happens. He recalls a more innocent time from his childhood. The story is written brilliantly, painting a vivid picture in the reader's mind. I was extremely fortunate to get a chance to attend a reading where Mr. Wolff himself read "Bullet...". His delivery was nothing short of amazing. It added an entirely new dimension to the story, making it even more captivating and engaging.