Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories by Tobias Wolff
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Book Reviews of Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories
Book Review: Great Wolff Primer
Summary: 4 Stars
If you're new to Tobias Wolff, or to contemporary literary short fiction in general--and, alas, many people are--this new anthology is probably the place to start. Wolff is a master of the form. His tales are simple but exhibit a profound insight into the nuances and moral dilemmas of everyday life, and his prose is peerless: at once spare and evocative, exact without being deliberate.
A reviewer in the New York Times lamented that some of Wolff's "greatest hits" are missing--for example, the brilliant O. Henry-winning "Sister" is conspicuously absent, as are some of my other personal favorites: "Migraines", "Smokers", "An Episode in the Life of Professor Brooke"--but many gems are still here. One of the highlights is the dark, somewhat surreal story "Hunters in the Snow," which looks at dominance, weakness and the balance of power among men. Some of the new stories are especially relevant and topical. "Awaiting Orders" is about the Iraq war and the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, though, as per usual with Wolff, the ramifications are personal rather than political.
During a recent online interview (The Leonard Lopate Show), Wolff said he doesn't think of himself as a minimalist--though it all depends on the definition of the term, as he doesn't think Raymond Carver was a minimalist either--but admitted that he does a lot of "cutting" when editing his work. This lack of superfluity is often his stories' greatest asset, but as I was reading I sometimes found myself wishing that he left in some of the fat. The otherwise marvelous "That Room" is, at only four pages and change, too lean, and the lack of dialog, backstory, and narrative detail robs the final moments of some of their resonance.
Book Review: Measured Applause
Summary: 4 Stars
Before I join the chorus of laudatory reviews, I want to register some reservations.
Whenever I read a story or a novel, I ask myself: would I want to read it again - right now? Sometime soon? Ever?
In this collection there weren't many that met this (admittedly very subjective) criterion. Whether that has to do with the content of the stories or the author's narrative technique, I am not quite sure. I bought the book when it first came out and put it aside after reading the first two stories. I readily concede that I dislike stories about bitchy colleagues in the groves of academe, and I loathe voyeuristic stuff in the manner of Raymond Carver; so "In the Garden of the North American Martyrs" and "Next Door" failed to pull me in.
Recently I picked up the book again and this time started near the end, with the New Stories. I liked "Deposition" and "The Benefit of the Doubt", and then I got deeper into the material, acknowledging belatedly that some of the copious praise I had heard was justified. I recognized that the very triviality that originally turned me off lends authenticity to the stories, and that I was in the presence of a highly skilled storyteller.
Still, I think that Wolff, like a novelist manqu?, has a tendency to cram too much biographical background information into his stories; many of them probably would have benefited from more severe editing, especially the older ones.
Sometimes the point of view fluctuates between omniscient and first person narrative (cf. "the Liar"). This may be a deliberate device, in the postmodern manner, to demonstrate the close relationship between memory and imagination. A penchant for minute detail recalls the French Nouveau Roman. And a story like "Bullet in the Brain", while featuring one of my least favorite stock characters, the supercilious critic, taps into neurobiological research in a manner that takes your breath away.
I miss a robust sense of place: cities like Spokane or Albany are mentioned, but many of the stories are free-floating, not anchored in any recognizable locale. I believe that most of us structure our memories around stories where time and place are essential ingredients.
The stories are open-ended, as any good short story should be, allowing the reader to give free rein to his imagination. There is usually an ironic twist at the end - sometimes hilarious, sometimes bitter or unsettling (or any mixture of these elements). But few of them really grabbed me the way William Trevor's stories do - to name just one of the great masters.
I am aware that some readers will relish the very same stories that I find repellent. So, while I agree with those who pronounce Wolff "one of the best", I am not ready to elevate him to the pantheon of immortals.
Book Review: For more[...]
Summary: 5 Stars
OUR STORY BEGINS BY TOBIAS WOLFF: In this new anthology, one of our most eminent short story writers, Tobias Wolff, offers up some old stories - some we've seen before - as well as new and fresh tales. Our Story Begins is a perfect introduction to the writing style and complex plot-minded mind of one Tobias Wolff.
This book is an in-depth look at the many facets of life and their most important part: people. Wolff doesn't always look to tell a simple and complete story with a beginning, middle and end. Most of the stories in this collection offer more of an insight into a slice of this world or that life; a snapshot into a relationship or specific decision. The full consequences and events don't always unfold, and we may not know as much as we might like with back story; nevertheless, we immediately become attached to these very real characters and the very human decisions they make.
Wolff takes readers on a journey they won't soon forget with Our Story Begins, as they travel the world and meet some very strange characters, as well as playing a part in some very moving relationships and families. A required read and book deserving a space on everyone's shelf as not just a sample of Wolff's skill, but a supreme example of the contemporary short story.
Book Review: Brilliant stories, dismal edition
Summary: 4 Stars
The stories are great, but I can't believe the author is happy with the actual physical copy of the book--I know I'm not. Lightweight Pravda-quality paper surrounded by an ultra-cheap cover. If you care about these things, get the book from the library. (I'm talking about the paperback; the hardcover may be a better value.)Book Review: Not as memorable as I expected
Summary: 4 Stars
The collection is certainly solid, with fine stories and only a few that had no appeal at all, which is about normal for a short story collection. Even those that were the most finely crafted or with the richest complex story seemed not to be memorable enough, as compared to some other authors' collections. That is, I didn't find any of them to be elite enough to hit the "wow" factor and be called out here as "must reads".
Solid, not spectacular.
3.5 stars