This article is a real gem.

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From the very first sentence, it hooks you in and keeps you engaged until the very end.

The author has a way of presenting ideas in a clear and concise manner, making it easy to understand and follow.

What I loved most about this article is that it offers valuable insights and perspectives that are both thought-provoking and relevant.

It made me think about things in a new way and gave me a fresh perspective on certain issues.

Overall, I would highly recommend this article to anyone looking for a quick and interesting read that's worth investing time in.

You won't be disappointed.

I have a great fondness for Richard Russo's work.

In fact, I believe we all do, don't we? His stories are tightly crafted and they progress at a brisk pace, captivating the reader and leaving them with a strong desire for more.

However, upon further reflection, perhaps they aren't quite as fascinating as they could potentially be. While reading his works is undoubtedly time well spent, I find myself in a bit of a quandary when it comes to the question of whether I would re-read them.

On one hand, the engaging nature of the stories makes them appealing for a second go. But on the other hand, that slight lack of absolute irresistibility makes me hesitate. It's a bit of a conundrum, really.

Nevertheless, I still appreciate the talent and skill that Russo brings to his writing, and I look forward to seeing what he comes up with in the future.

It seems to me that when a detail-oriented and prolific writer renowned for creating in-depth characters and settings releases a collection of short stories, the reader ought to approach it with a degree of skepticism. The rationale behind this is that often, these short stories were initially conceived as ideas for a full-length novel but never quite reached that stage. Typically, they also lack the customary depth of setting and character that one anticipates from such an author, and this is precisely the issue at hand. There is a general dearth of detail and depth here. To be honest, a significant number of the stories really don't seem to progress or lead anywhere. However, this isn't entirely bad. The story about the child playing baseball stands out as being decent. But overall, it and the title story are the only two that I can remember the day after finishing the collection.

Human struggle is a common theme in short stories. These tales often explore the challenges and difficulties that people face in their lives, and how they overcome them. One such story might be about a person who has lost their job and is struggling to make ends meet. They may have to face the reality of living on a tight budget, dealing with the stress of not knowing when they will find another job, and perhaps even losing their home.

Another short story could focus on a person who is dealing with a serious illness. They may have to endure painful treatments, face the uncertainty of their prognosis, and struggle to maintain a positive attitude in the face of such adversity. Through their journey, they may learn important lessons about themselves and the value of life.

These short stories about human struggle serve as a reminder that we all face challenges in our lives, but it is how we respond to them that defines us. They offer hope and inspiration, showing that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of finding strength and perseverance.

This collection of Russo's short stories isn't as widely known or as favorably received as his novels.

However, I discovered them to be highly entertaining and meticulously crafted.

As is his trademark, Russo seems to center his attention on family relationships, and he demonstrates remarkable skill in using understatement when handling themes of angst and pathos.

The title story represents a bit of a departure from his usual fare, as he typically focuses on men who are facing difficult circumstances.

In this case, it is a Belgian nun, "nearly as big as a linebacker," who enrolls in the narrator's advanced fiction class and shares her story through a series of assignments for the class.

The other stories in the collection place a greater emphasis on marriage and family, with two of them being told from the perspective of pre-adolescent boys.

While I never grow weary of Russo's writing, I must admit to having a slight preference for his novels.

Nonetheless, this collection of short stories offers a unique and engaging look into Russo's literary world.

Richard Russo is a writer's writer who paints from the heart.

He delves deep into the intimacies of relationships, exploring their subtle quirks, quiet struggles, and mutual lifelong devotion. However, this facade of normalcy often conceals darker, agonizing conflicts and secrets that yearn to surface through desperation and fate.

In some cases, these secrets are breached by a nervous breakdown, while in others, it's through coming to terms with mortality and dying.

In this collection of short stories, long-enduring realities filled with contrariness are laid bare. Secrets are finally divulged, and quiet acceptances of unfulfilled dreams for the sake of a love-interest (even false ones) and the postponement of desired status bubble to the surface, revealing the true nature of each person's relationship in sometimes painful detail.

Russo not only exposes secrets but also stirs the disquieting flaws of relationships further through heart-rending self-confessionals shared only with the reader.

The technique is so fluid that it goes unnoticed, imparting a purely empathetic mindset to each character's frailties, weaknesses, insecurities, and misgivings.

Russo now lives in Maine and takes liberties with the pastiche of New England's unforgiving and guarded Puritanical lifestyle.

In his second installment, "Monhegan Light," there is an uncanny resemblance to a real-life secret love story. It's about a 20-year-long affair between a married woman and a painter.

The wife, who seemed faithful, was secretly painted nude by the painter while she summered near his studio.

Two years after the wife's death, her spiteful sister reveals the affair to her husband by sending him a signed masterpiece of her in the nude.

This story has parallels to the real-life affair of Andrew Wyeth and Helga Testorf.

Each of these stories is a minor masterpiece, exposing the emotional nakedness of the human condition without pretense.

And to my delight, I discovered that my used bookstore hard copy is a signed edition made out "To Tara--Richard Russo." CALL ME TARA.

Reading now, short stories are truly a captivating form of literature. They have the power to transport us to different worlds, introduce us to unique characters, and evoke a wide range of emotions in a relatively short space. One cannot help but be in awe of the great writers who possess the skill and talent to craft these literary gems. These writers have the ability to compress complex themes, vivid descriptions, and engaging plots into a few pages, leaving a lasting impact on the reader's mind. Whether it's a heartwarming tale, a thrilling mystery, or a thought-provoking exploration of human nature, short stories have something for everyone. So, the next time you pick up a collection of short stories, take a moment to appreciate the artistry and creativity of the great writer behind it.

This is a series of short stories that isn't my typical read.

To be honest, I usually prefer longer novels or more complex literary works. However, I decided to give this collection a try.

Surprisingly, I ended up enjoying the majority of the stories. They were engaging and had unique plots that kept me interested from start to finish.

One of the things I liked about this series is that it was a fairly quick read. I could pick up a story, read it in a short amount of time, and still feel satisfied.

Overall, I would recommend this series of short stories to anyone who is looking for something different to read. It may not be for everyone, but if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone, you might be pleasantly surprised.

I'm really confused as to why this is labeled as "Want To Read".

I have actually read and truly relished six of Russo's novels. Strangely enough, on this site, there are eleven of his books marked as "Want To Read". In reality, there is only one that I actually want to read.

I have no clue how all those other books ended up being listed in that manner. It definitely wasn't me who did it.

Moreover, I can't seem to find a way to remove them. It's quite frustrating.

I just wish there was a simple way to correct this misrepresentation and have the list accurately reflect my true reading intentions.

Hopefully, the site will have a feature in the future that allows users to easily manage and update their "Want To Read" lists.

Until then, I'll just have to deal with this inaccurate display and hope that others don't misinterpret my reading preferences based on this incorrect list.

Wham Bam,

Another book has been devoured in just two days. I have to admit that this reading speed is rather satisfying.

The book, well. The first (title story) and the last story were both distinct and captivating. However, in between those, the stories all seemed to revolve around middle-aged professors and islands. Most of these men seemed to have little connection with the women they were with, and almost all of them had some scene where the male lead character was shocked or worried about their female companion removing their clothes in public. This was an odd refrain that was repeated over and over again, and in the end, it became quite tiresome. All I could think was that she can take her clothes off if she wants to. It made me wonder if the author was trying to convey some deeper message about gender roles or social norms, but it just didn't quite land for me. Overall, the book had its moments, but it also had some aspects that left me feeling a bit disappointed.

This is the sole book of short stories that Russo has brought out, coming after his Pulitzer Prize-winning “Empire Falls”.

The stories are captivating, yet to me, most of them seemed like the opening of a novel, demanding a broader scope to truly do them justice. There wasn't any of the short, sharp penetration that I seek in a short story, where every word propels you from start to finish and not a single one is unnecessary.

Russo is a writer who is more comfortable with the expansive canvas of the novel. In an interview regarding this book, Russo confessed that three of the stories were directly related to his novels. In fact, in the story “The Further You Go”, the protagonist Hank served as the inspiration for the subsequent novel “Straight Man” as he was so fond of him.

His forte lies in character portrayal. Often regarded as a chronicler of blue-collar America, he possesses an uncanny ability to explore the conundrums hidden within most relationships and turn them upside down in such a way that as we feel compassion for the characters, we also recognize ourselves. The stories mainly center on middle-aged men and their mid-life crises, although there are two very good ones written from the perspective of boys.

The style in the novels I've read leans towards the comic (even uproarious in the case of “Straight Man”) with an undertone of seriousness. However, with these stories, while there is a lightness of tone, the darker aspects of human nature are not sugar-coated. There is almost a theme here that is not cheerful but perhaps pragmatic - the idea that no matter how worthy our aspirations are and whatever we think we're doing right to achieve them, there is always something we haven't figured out yet, and it is precisely that something that will ultimately trip us up and cause us to stumble.

Although I generally do not like short stories simply for their brevity, being a Russo book, I had to buy it.

And I was not disappointed. Russo writes with his wonderful insight into both men and women, fashioning stories set in provincial towns.

There is a nun in a writer's workshop, a retired professor and his wife on holiday, a boy of recently separated parents, a small town pianist with a mother who is a prostitute, two men whose boyhood friendship is really the only thing connecting them in the present, and a joyride by a mother and son across the country.

Each story is told with Russo's thoughtfulness, perception, and charm.

The book is a resounding 4★, demonstrating Russo's talent for creating engaging and thought-provoking short stories that draw readers in and keep them hooked until the very end.

His ability to capture the essence of human nature and the nuances of relationships in small-town settings is truly remarkable, making this collection a must-read for fans of short fiction.