Title: Deer & Other StoriesAuthor: Susan Tepper
Rating:
Recommended? To quote the last sentence of my review, This book was a beautiful breath of fresh air that I would recommend to anyone.
What I Have to Say: I've made no qualms about my lack of love for short stories. I always find them lacking in something. Susan Tepper's deer, however, is lacking in nothing. As far as collections of short stories go, Deer & Other Stories takes the cake.
Susan Tepper has an intriguing way of taking words and making them mean so much more than what they actually say. Every story is insightful and emotional and obviously very dear to her. As her stories unwind, everyday situations and plain, everyday characters become exhilirating and wondrous. Each idea is a new lesson in eccentricity; each story is a world contained within itself, and through Susan Tepper's incredible knack for detail, we live through each as if we were there. She and her incredible imagination know absolutely no boundaries, going so far, at one point, as to even bring Elvis back to life. The way she manages to weave deer into each and every one is sometimes riveting, sometimes revolting, and always endearing.
As with most collections of short stories, the reader is bound to have their favorite. Mine was "Help," a story about love. This story really gets across is point that, when it comes to love, one can never be sure about anything. Quoted directly from the book, "About love, I can only say this: I do not know."
I actually picked a top three, and the other two on the list are "String," a story about life running its course and a screwed up relationship, and "Within You Without You," in which we voyage through India with the Beatles.
This book was a beautiful breath of fresh air that I would recommend to anyone.
Summary (from Amazon):The deer in these 11 stories, whether real deer or imagined, made of skin and blood and bone, used as plastic lawn ornaments, even a wire stage prop, pad in and out of the character's lives as mirror-images reflecting all the beauty, splendor and fear both species engender.
Up soon: Susan Tepper has so kindly allowed me to ask her a few questions about the book, so be expecting that interview any day now. In the meantime, go check out her author page at Amazon.
Disclaimer: This book was received for free from the author in exchange for a review.
11 comments:
A breath of fresh air - just what I could do with at the moment. Thanks for the review.
Great post, Brizmus! I read this too and it's definitely a keeper! Even though I have a different list of favorites. LOL
This sounds very different than anything I've ever read before.
"The way she manages to weave deer into each and every one is sometimes riveting, sometimes revolting, and always endearing."
How could anyone not want to read this book after that statement?
Your review makes me want to read the book so badly! A beautiful breath of fresh air is just what I need right now. Thanks for recommending this book!
aikychien at yahoo dot com
A breath of fresh air - that's nice to say about a book. I don't love short story collections very much, either - I find them always a bit too, well, short. But I'll take your word that these stories are worthwile.
A short story book focused around deers, odd but intriguing.
Hmm this sounds intriguing.. I had never heard about it before. But wonderful review, you've made me want to read it! And that one short story caught my attention - "Within You Without You," in which we voyage through India with the Beatles. Fun!
Interesting! Really original- definitely not like anything I have read before. I am intrigued and that means that now I must get the book to quench my curiosity! I hope I win! I am grabbing your button- will you grab mine? Tynga's Blog Design did mine and if I am not mistaken she did yours too. Right?! Anyway, Our new beautiful buttons will look great on each others blog!!! :)
Jen
htp://extremereaderbookreviews.blogspot.com
I have gotten really into short stories recently. It seems everyone is doing them! I can see how you think some lack depth- it's much harder to find positive points about short stories than it is to find positive points about longer ones; all the bad points are made fairly obvious. I will have to look into this author!
I am usually not a fan of short stories-they end too quickly-however your review has made me want to read this book.
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