Birds of America : Stories

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing.
Review: I selected this book for my reading group, which unfortunately meant I had to read it all. In each story the characters and themes are monotonous, bleak, unconnected, shallow, and pointless. I can accept poor prose for the sake of a good story, however, no amount of stellar prose (and there is some here) can compensate for having nothing to say.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful...
Review: Laurie Moore is one of the most superb modern female writers out there! Her stories are at once a bit bizarre and completely realistic; her ability to transform a seemingly average person's life into something beautiful, touching, thought-provoking, and often heart-breaking is uncanny.

Rating:
Summary: relief from the sanctimonious
Review: In a word, this book is brilliant. Not for those who want to beat their chests and weep, certainly....I would recommend Brett Lott for that, or perhaps The Bridges Of Madison County. Moore is an undisputed genius, and no more plastic than gold is plastic.

Rating:
Summary: Relief
Review: I was very relieved to read all the other comments on this page that were reflective of my own sentiments towards Moore's collection of SS's. As a student of short fiction writing, I usually devour short stories - with particular attention to the ones that are well-reputed - in hopes of learning from an author's craft. Lorrie Moore is a name commonly tossed around as "master of short fiction", and so I was naturally inclined to read her collection. I had previously read snippets of her work, in the New Yorker and other literary magazines, which did not particularly impress me, but I decided to give her collection a chance. Moore's prose - her shaping and cultivation of phrases, word choice and placement, the gleaming veneer - as many people mention, is occasionally stunning, and refreshingly original. The content of the stories and her inner voice are however, as many others acknowledge, vapid, narrow and foolishly arrogant. Her voice offended me particularly in the story she had dedicated to her son, who was afflicted with cancer; I found in that story - especially with its inane and presumptuous culminating statement - more venom and self-pitying assaults against those around her, with very little room for the kind of compassion that the story actually deserves. Here is a perfect example of where a certain, plastic, stylistic approach to the telling of a story detracts from the story itself, something that I found reflective of her other pieces - the very few that actually had potential merits as enduring stories. It had been distressing for me to try to accept that literary fiction has been increasingly incorporating into its spheres such misleading, superficial brilliance, such as this collection, lacking the weight of the real substance shared by universal classics. And I certainly couldn't regard those who share these sentiments simply as impatient dullards who "don't get it"; in fact, I wouldn't be surprised that most disappointed readers of the collection, like myself, initially tried very hard to unearth its merits. I was surprised at my dislike to such a well-received book, which is why I'm thankful to those who voiced their opinions that were very similar to mine, and showed that I wasn't alone in the matter.

Rating:
Summary: The power of her language
Review: I enjoyed this collection of short stories very much. The writing is beautiful; the stories are wistfully bittersweet. My favorite story was probably Terrific Mother, the last story. I also enjoyed reading all the reactions to the book here at this site: proof itself of the author's power to create a thought provoking and lasting document of our times. This book will remain with me forever.

Rating:
Summary: Do Depression and Death Need a Muse?
Review: The premise that connects the short stories of Birds in America is: "Life sucks, it's getting worse, and then you die!" Each smarmy snippet is more of the same Muppie (Middle-aged urban professional) angst, served up on a bed of self-absorbed sarcasm. Funny? A pound of Prozac would not make this book funny. It's point of view is life post-love, life post-love-life, post beauty, grace, redemption, recovery, joy, faith, and hope. That so many people can relate to it as eloquent or even funny is sad -- or perhaps the natural consequence of consumerism and boomerism.

Rating:
Summary: Smug and arch
Review: I skipped around a lot trying to find something I could sink my teeth into and came away still hungry. Her tone is so mannered and self-congratulatory it put me off time and again, and I found her characters irritating and dull. I wanted very much to like this, because I'd bought it for a long train ride, but found it not funny, not interesting, and not particularly well-written. I put it away and opened Wodehouse, my backup book for the trip, and was suddenly enormously happy, my faith in literature restored. These are lean literary times indeed if this mediocre collection is considered witty, well-written or entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: You just HAVE to read the stories in here. Rich, funny and bittersweet, Lorrie Moore has really put herself in the league of short-story giants like Alice Munro & Joyce Carol Oates. More please!

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable!
Review: This was my first experience with Lorie Moore and I absolutely loved it! The stories are engrossing portraits of contemporary American life filled with laughter and heartache. I read it in one sitting and can't wait to revisit these amazing characters again. This collection lives up to all the rave reviews it is receiving. Lorie Moore is without a doubt one of the most talented story tellers of this century.

Rating:
Summary: Shining, shimmering stories!
Review: Those damn yankees from Massachusetts wouldn't know a good book if it hit them between the eyes! (Perhaps you have to be born in the South to appreciate great writing). I loved every single story in this book. Her writing is as sharp and lucid as a crisp, sunny autumn day. "Dance in America" was my favorite. I seldom buy books of short stories, but this one is a part of my permanent 'beside the bed' collection. I've already read it twice!