The Diving Pool – 2/5 stars Of course the issue with any collection of fiction where the works weren’t intended to be placed side by side is that you are left holding the reins as to how they might possibly be connected. All three of these “novellas” (they are definitely just longish short stories) have a spare detached narrator focused mostly on observing than acting. All three have the same kind of spare language that other of her works are known for. And while “The […]
Baseball and Brain Injuries!
This is a perfect little book for a high school student. It has a little bit of everything in it: a clear cut sense of right and wrong, exposure to a culture different from mainstream American (I am pretty mainstream American), precocious kids, and lovable and loving older people. It’s like a mix between Memento and A Beautiful Mind and a very one-sided version of Rashomon. Ok, not so much the last one, because instead, there’s not a lot of remembering going on. More so […]
There was no sign of sympathy or surprise
This is a strange little collection of stories Of course, I was immediately suspect because it was called “tales” but so be it. I read it anyway. In the first story, a woman is waiting to order two strawberry cakes in memorial of her dead son’s birthday twelve years ago. As she waits, little moments remind her of various things connected to his life and death. She waits but no one is actually helping any customers. In another story, the road has been covered in […]
Math and Baseball, what more could you want?
What a beautiful little story. I’m not sure who reviewed this one on here back for CBRV!, but whoever it was thank you. Enter an audible sale on Cassandra Campbell’s narration, and this was one of many snatched up. Ms. Campbell’s voice is wonderfully soothing for long car rides with the Little so we’ve been enjoying her quite a bit. The Housekeeper and the Professor is the story of, well, it’s right there in the title. Our narrator and housekeeper begin the tale explaining how […]