Antonya Nelson

This book seemed to take a really long time to read (for me anyway) since my schedule has become a bit more hectic recently, but I always enjoyed returning to it when I could grab a minute. It didn't evoke in me that rabid urge to rush through it, to devour it as soon as I could. It felt to me like an old friend. In fact, that's what the stories became for me--like listening to a close friend spill their guts. There was something very gratifying about this collection. None of the characters or situations were extraordinary. These were not wacky situations or wild instances where BAM! the character is forever changed. Instead, they all faced (mostly) everyday challenges and ordinary tragedies with varying degrees of success (or lack thereof), and their own revelations were perhaps just a subtle quarter-turn in a new direction...the way life usually happens. They all had their endearing aspects as well as those traits that made me cringe, also reminding me of when you start to see faults in a beaming new friendship or relationship...those moments that make you face up to the decision whether or not you wish to forge ahead. This was the "realest" writing I've read in a while and makes me feel at ease with the fact that life keeps on keepin' on. I was unaware of Nelson as a writer before now, but as I now see she's had a full career so far, I will absolutely be seeking out more of her work.… (meer)

This is a story of a messy family living in Whichita, Kansas. The Mabie's live in a big house and all there adult children live there too. Their oldest daughter, divorced, and her two children, Winston just out of prison for vehicle manslaughter and driving under the influence and the youngest unmarried daughter who works as a teacher's aide and gets into relationships with married men. It's a messy family. I've not read anything by the author. I guess she has written short stories and that some of this novel was taken from those stories. The author creates characters with lots of cracks. The oldest and responsible, the only brother, middle child and the youngest girl who always feels in the shadow of her older sister. The family all have to deal with the return of Winston and how they will handle his coming home after his prison time. Winston's father can not forgive him. His mother relates better to him as a person in prison that she can write. It is a story of anger, mortality, forgiveness.It was published in 2000 and the setting of the story would be 80/90s. People still had land lines for phones and airports didn't have the security and rules that we have now. I liked the first part of the book more than the second part. The author did a good job of creating her characters with their weaknesses, insecurities and strengths. The title came from page 17; "trust the advice of the injured, the damaged, those who had lived to tell." The book might suffer on the plot (a lot) but the prose is great.… (meer)