Readership

Obviously (obviously!), you all know that I was eagerly awaiting the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows a few weeks ago. Several days before it came out, though, I found myself between books and unsure what to do. I didn't want to start a novel that I'd ignore as soon as Harry Potter was published. Instead, I took up a book of short stories by Alice Munro: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage.

Much to the chagrin of several of my writer friends, I don't often go for short story collections. I academically recognize that they are often better than novels. Each sentence counts in a way it doesn't in longer form, and successful short fiction writers craft tight, thoughtful, evocative prose that says a lot more in fewer words than many long novels ever achieve. Even so, I love to get lost in the (yes, sometimes rambling and tangential) world of a novel.

Luckily, Munro's collection is wonderful enough to overcome even my objections to short stories. As her title suggests, the pieces compiled here all examine a relationship of one kind or another. Her main characters are usually women, often disaffected, and sometimes at a crossroads. Munro offers a painfully honest glimpse of her characters' imperfections and the constant tensions inherent in intimate and familial relationships. Individually, each story is a treat; together, they provide a troubling and beautiful perspective on life and love.