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Stay Up With Me (2013)

by Tom Barbash(Favorite Author)

3.82 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Ecco

review 1: Barbash honours and evolves the revered tradition of the 'American short story' with aplomb. Draws you in quietly and by the final page of the final story, The Women, has you sobbing with an exquisite mix of pain and renewal. That's an enduring theme of the book expressed through two main dynamics: the older teenager challenging the resident parent, and, the couple trying to make it work. Barbash's ability to represent the mental and physical detail of couples and their dealings with each other is astounding! Female and male protagonists, any generation - is recorded with incredible verisimilitude. As you'd expect from the American tradition, social mores of the professional classes, and rural communities, are conveyed in absorbing, convincing detail and just when there's ... morea risk it's taking itself too seriously there's a gem of humour from left field. A hugely talented teller of the human condition.
review 2: Entertaining and occasionally unique, but altogether onerous collection of stories about bourgeois people. Felt quite distant and unrealistic. A blurb from its back matter advertised that many of the characters might have known each other in another universe, or something, and that is easily believed given their similarly petty conflicts. Much of the writing is witty and engaging, and I wanted to know how each story ended. Style quickly turned gimmicky. Felt optimistic when reading but was unsurprised when let down. Read for a good idea of what is being praised. less

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