Book Review - Joshua Ferris' The Dinner Party and Other Stories

Thank You to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advanced copy of Joshua Ferris' The Dinner Party and Other Stories, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- The Dinner Party and Other Stories, is the first short story collection from award-winning novelist, Joshua Ferris.

LIKE- I can't think of another author who writes stories that leave me feeling riddled with anxiety. I say this in the best possible sense, as Ferris leaves me feeling rattled and affected: His stories move me. I often pause to admire his creative descriptions or phrasing, and the way he writes short, sharp sentences that punch. He's just so darn talented!

This is a fabulous collection, but I want to comment on a few of my favorite stories.

The Dinner Party - Everyone experiences friendship fall-out, but where the blame lies, is usually subjective. Amy and her husband have invited Amy's long time friend and her husband over for dinner, but they never show. As they wait, Amy and her husband ( unnamed), make catty comments about their "friends" and bitch about them, often being quite cruel. Eventually as the night grows late and their phone calls go unanswered, their grumpiness turns to worry. Amy's husband drives over to their friend's house, only to discover that their friends, have thrown their own party on the same night. Rather than scuttle away, the husband decides to enter the party and be confrontational, especially when he finds other mutual friends at the party. The Dinner Party is often hilarious, but also holds a mirror up to our human tendency to gossip and complain about others, even those we consider to be friends. 

The Valetudinarian - This story is hilarious and unpredictable, following a grumpy senior widower, Arty, as he experiences a birthday surprise. The characters really pop, they're quirky, fitting with the Florida setting. Arty is a bit of a mess and desperate for attention, even if he has to get it through negative behavior. I couldn't help but both like him and shake my head at his antics. This story was so unexpected and funny.

The Pilot - This one made my stomach knot and gave me anxiety. Leonard is a budding screenwriter and he has been invited to a Hollywood wrap party with highly influential people. This could lead to connections and his big break, but Leonard can't seem to shake his worries. He's paranoid that he wasn't meant to be invited in the first place, he stresses over what to wear, he worries over the other people invited, et...he just can't seem to relax. This level of tension is continued through the entire story and it's infectious. The worst of it, is having lived in Los Angeles and been around industry friends, Leonard is a character that I know well. 

A Fair Price - Jack needs help moving his stuff out of a self-storage unit and he hires Mike, a middle-aged man who has been recommended by Jack's gardener. The two men couldn't be any more different. Mike is quiet, blue-collar, and rough around the edges. Jack is white-collar and concerned about manners. Right off the bat, Jack feels that Mike hates him. To make matters worse, Mike reminds him of Jack's abusive step-father. As the morning progresses, Jack magnifies every perceived slight and soon, his anger towards Mike grows out of control. I loved the pacing in this story, the building of a sense of danger. Jack's internal dialogue is both funny and unhinged. 

DISLIKE- Nothing. The collection is very strong, although there were a few stories that were less memorable than the ones mentioned above. 

RECOMMEND- Yes! If you're a short story fan, The Dinner Party and Other Stories is a fine collection, and if you are unfamiliar with Ferris, I'd like to direct you to any of his novels. He's a gifted storyteller and a must-read author.

Book Review- Scaachi Koul's One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter: Essays

Thank You to Macmillan- Picador for providing me with an advanced copy of Scaachi Koul's, One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter: Essays, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- In her essay collection, One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter, Koul explores growing up in Canada as a child of Indian immigrants. She write about her culture, dating, and dealing with sexism and racism, both stemming from societal biases or the kind that is overt, and from a place of hate. Her writing is both funny and gut-wrenching.

LIKE- I immediately fell in love with Koul's voice. She's witty, razor sharp, and insightful. She writes with an openness that is rare: sharing with readers intimate details of her life. For example, she writes about body issues as a child, like worrying over her body hair with an obsession that would never have occurred to her fairer, white classmates. The pain of this is acute, when she recalls a male classmate pointing out the hair on her arms. As a woman, thinking back to that age, my heart broke for her. She writes about being roofied in her twenties, and the way young women have mixed messages drilled into them: Drink to be fun, but don't get sloppy drunk. Drink to be flirtatious, but be on guard that you're not a tease. Go out and enjoy yourself, but predators are lurking everywhere. Koul nails the frustrations of being a woman.

I was most disturbed regarding a chapter when explained how she was cyber attacked for voicing a controversial opinion. It wasn't so much that people disagreed, but it was the way in which they disagreed: through hate. She received messages attacking her sex, her race, her body; truly vile messages. It was shocking and stomach churning. 

The chapters where she wrote about her family and traveling to India, were my favorite. The title of her collection actually comes from her cousin, who was getting married in India. It is in reference to the arduous and tedious week-long marriage celebration, which includes elaborate ceremonies, strict traditions, and many changes in outfits. Koul explains how no one who has actually attended an Indian wedding, would want to attend an Indian wedding. I enjoyed this glimpse into another culture and hearing about her family. Just like any family, there is a lot of affection and frustration.

DISLIKE- Nothing. This is an poignant, thought-provoking, and frequently humorous collection.

RECOMMEND- Yes!!! Koul has a unique and appealing writer's voice. I finished, One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter, and was left wanting more. She's a great writer!

Book Review-Graeme Simsion's The Best of Adam Sharp

Thank You to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced copy of Graeme Simsion's novel, The Best of Adam Sharp, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Twenty years ago, while working in Australia, Adam Sharp met Angelina Brown, a vivacious soap-opera actress. Adam and Angelina had a short and intense relationship, which ended when Adam's work took him to New Zealand. 

Now, over twenty-years later, Adam is living in England and his marriage is on the rocks. His wife, Claire, has a major career opportunity that might require her to relocate to the United States, and Adam isn't sure he should follow. In the midst of his marital crisis, Adam receives an email from Angelina, whom he had lost touch with years ago. Although Angelina is married with three children, she begins a flirtatious email exchange that plunges Adam down the rabbit hole of nostalgia. Angelina invites Adam to spend a weekend with her and her husband, Charles. This weekend seems like a bad idea, a very bad idea: but can Adam resist his past?

LIKE- I've read Simsion's The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect, and I'm a fan of his writing. He's fabulous at creating memorable characters. The Best of Adam Sharp is a character drive novel. It is a riveting emotional drama, one where the stakes are enormous and it feels like everyone is bound to lose.

Nostalgia is at the heart of The Best of Adam Sharp. Adam and Angelina meet prior to the internet being a big deal and when they part, they don't have an easy form of communication. It's a contrast to todays technology and social media, where it is easy to keep in contact with people from your past. Prior to Angelina reconnecting, Adam only has his memories of her. He has a hobby as musician and he links songs to memories. He met Angelina while playing the piano and singing at a bar: Angelina joining him on stage. They connect through music and the  lyrics become a form of secret communication that takes on a huge importance. I think most readers will be able to relate to this form of nostalgia, where we look at the past with rose-colored glasses and where we put certain moments on a pedestal ( good or bad memories), allowing particular fragments to take on a deeper meaning. The further the distance, sometimes leads to less perspective. 

The first half of the novel is about the nostalgia and the romance, but the second half takes a rather dark turn, when Adam decides to stay at the country house in France with Angelina and Charles. Angelina and Charles do not have a happy marriage and they have brought Adam into their troubles. The moral of the story being, while it is possible to reconnect with your past, be careful that the boundaries are clear, and that your past, doesn't endanger your present or future. 

 DISLIKE- The second half of the book left me feeling funny about both Adam and Angelina. Character likability is certainly not a requirement for me to enjoy a novel, however it helps. I liked both Angelina and Adam, when they were nostalgic for their past, but when they crossed the line into a bizarre and rather uncomfortable scenario with Angelina's husband, I was left with a bad taste for both of them. I wasn't sure what to think about Charles. It's realistic that under the circumstances he would be a little hostile or conflicted, but it was hard to respect his character, even in the end. The story included a bit of erotica, which was surprising. I'm not prudish, but under the circumstances of the novel, it was highly uncomfortable to read. I guess what I'm saying is that I felt "squirmy" while reading the second half, which is what I think Simsion set out to do.

RECOMMEND- Yes. Simsion is a wonderful storyteller, who writes about complex emotions and relationships. The Best of Adam Sharp made a deep impression on me.