Show Don't Tell
Books | Fiction / Short Stories (single author)
Curtis Sittenfeld
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The bestselling author of Eligible and Romantic Comedy “blends acerbic wit, shrewd insight and sharp-eyed observation [in this] bravura collection” (The Washington Post), including a story that revisits the main character from her iconic novel Prep“Each of these witty, intelligent stories is a slice of modern life.”—PeopleA New York Times Book Review Editors’ ChoiceIn her second story collection, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels. In these dazzling stories, she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends, laying bare the moments when their long held beliefs are overturned.In “The Patron Saints of Middle Age,” a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In “A for Alone,” a married artist embarks on a creative project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in “Lost but Not Forgotten,” Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an alumni reunion at her boarding school.Hilarious, thought-provoking, and full of tenderness for her characters, Sittenfeld’s stories peel back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice.
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Author
Curtis Sittenfeld
Pages
448
Publisher
Random House
Published Date
2025-02-25
ISBN
9798217070381
Community ReviewsSee all
"3.5 stars<br/><br/>Show Don't Tell is a collection of short stories by Curtis Sittenfeld, some of which were published previously on other platforms.<br/><br/>Sittenfeld's writing is rich, without a doubt. Her storytelling breathes life into each character while maintaining the boundary of not being too whiny or cliché. Each story features a unique plot line, featuring normal characters who are dealing with the more nuanced circumstances of life.<br/><br/>My only complaint has to do with the anticlimactic endings. Understandably, real life does not have satisfying conclusions, so I can see how this could be what the author is going for. However, quite a few endings feel more like the end of a chapter rather than the end of the story.<br/><br/>Regardless, Sittenfeld's writing is beautiful and she tells good stories, so for lovers of short stories or those who have book commitment issues, this is a great choice for you.<br/><br/>Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.<br/><br/>Show Don't Tell is available wherever books are sold."
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Amber Smith