I originally bought this because I had read "The Caretaker" in another collection. All of the stories are worth your time, but I'd still say that "Caretaker" is my favorite. ( )

A collection of unsettling stories, all of them unusual and with characters who are drawn deeply and sympathetically. These stories took me to new places. The Tanzanian woman who moved to Ohio and became a photographer is the story I remember the best. ( )

A collection of short stories by Anthony Doerr, whose [b:All the Light We Cannot See|18143977|All the Light We Cannot See|Anthony Doerr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451445646s/18143977.jpg|25491300] left a lasting impression on me. I must preface my next comment by saying that I am not always a fan of the short story. I often feel it is just getting interesting and it is gone. This might be why I was less than moved by this collection. The stories were good, the ideas were strong, but the connection just never materialized.

Of the eight stories, I most enjoyed For a Time This Was Griselda’s Story. The relationship between the two sisters, though strange, was something I could relate to and also the question that rose to my mind of whether it is best to be the one who goes or the one who is left behind. What, if anything, did Griselda owe to her mother and her sister? Isn’t the making of happiness within and not outside us?

The Hunter’s Wife was interesting and different. I’m not sure I would want to be able to touch a dead or dying body and feel where it is going and what it sees. And, A Tangle By the Rapid River might just be a lesson in getting what you deserve (although I doubt that is the lesson Doerr thought to teach with it).

Overall, perfectly satisfactory reading and easily fit in between my longer reads. One or two a night before bed, not a problem.
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I wondered about this book before opening it. The writing of short-stories, when done well, is not at all like the writing of novels. Here the writing is crisp and lyrical, the ideas no so much condensed as crystalline and filled with meaning that only seems to be revealed with the turning of the light or the reader's understanding. The collection is also well arranged, with the stories seeming to grow in strength as one continues through the volume. Very Good. ( )

Anthony Doerr's collection of his short stories, The Shell Collector, brings together eight of his stories.
As with any collection, some will have more appel to a reader than will others. My personal favorite was "So Many Chances," but I found something to like in each and every one of them. What impressed me the most about this collection is the wide range of writing skill Mr. Doerr displays. Each story is presented through a different narrative style, some really unique and innovative. These styles seem uniquely suited to the the stories they tell.
I was a little troubled, however, by the ending of a couple of stories which seemed to just stop rather than to resolve or conclude. I appreciate the open ending idea where the reader may fill in the missing conclusion as he sees fit, but in at least one instance, I didn't feel as if the story had played itself out enough to be stopped. Of course, maybe I just missed the point.
Mr. Doerr went on to write one of my favorite reads of this year, the 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning All the Light We Cannot See, which is the first work of his I had read and which caused me to pick up "The Shell Collector."
I look forward to finding and reading more gems from this gifted writer. ( )