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It's Beginning To Hurt (2009)

by James Lasdun(Favorite Author)

3.78 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0374299021 (ISBN13: 9780374299026)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

review 1: Book one of 2014! I really love short stories and this is no exception. I read about this book in an old issue of The Atlantic that was lying around, and it really appealed to me. Maybe it's just the title, which I thought sounded nice, but I just really wanted to read it as soon as I heard about it. Was not disappointing. Its unlike any other book I've ever read, since it goes more in depth into the characters thoughts in such few pages compared to most other books (that was horrible grammar, whatever). The saddest one, and probably my favorite, was Cranley Meadows. It was really beautifully written. The title story, also, was pretty interesting, and in just three pages manages to have a strong impact on you. There were a couple that I didn't like as much, but overall it ... morewas a really great collection of short stories that I would totally recommend. Probably worth a second read, to be honest. Really more like 4.5 stars.
review 2: It's Beginning to Hurt. While rather short and located far in the back, the title story to this short story collection truly defines the book. A man secretly attends a funeral on his lunch break, while his wife calls him to bring home fish for dinner. Dealing with ordinary occurrences, Lasdun vividly brings to the forefront the ordinary emotions and passions that define and give meaning to life. Any reader will be able to relate to these emotions and feelings, knowing exactly how many of them manifest themselves, which brings a strong power to these stories. A loyal husband travels the northern Greek countryside with a casanova with a knack for finding ladies seemly out of thin air. A trio wanders a French forest, stomping on caterpillars to save the pine trees. Relationships past and the human connection. Lasdun's stories start off on good footing but get even better in the second half of the book (after a somewhat bizarre 'Annals of the Honorary Secretary'), so if the first stories don't draw you in at least attempt the later ones, it will be well worth it. This is one to read again. less

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