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Unabridged Podcast

Corie Adjmi's LIFE AND OTHER SHORTCOMINGS - A Beautiful Collection of Linked Stories

7/7/2020

1 Comment

 
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Thanks to Corie Adjmi for the ARC of Life and Other Shortcomings in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on Tuesday, August 4.

Corie Adjmi’s short story collection Life and Other Shortcomings circles around a central group of friends who we meet in the first story. “Dinner Conversation” introduces three couples whose ties originated in different ways: childhood friendships, new meetings, parenthood. The connections seem tenuous at times, but as Adjmi builds her collection, she reveals the subtle whims of all relationships, the way that friendships can be cemented or shattered in a moment.

Adjmi’s writing is spare and beautiful. There’s a subtlety that means the power of each story sneaks up on the reader, building to climaxes whose impact can take time and thought to process. These epiphanies hit harder because of their gentleness: they aren’t huge, obvious moments but instead minute shifts of perception.

Even without the power of the stories, I would have loved this book because of the writing. I found myself digging into my tin of book darts on nearly every page, eager to mark each perfect turn of phrase. I was enchanted by Adjmi’s exploration of the transforming definitions of parenthood; of the truth of what holds couples together; of the rules that we’re willing to accept and those we feel compelled to challenge. The idea that we cherish most those things that are denied to us permeates the collection.

There’s joy in finding the connections between the stories, in completing the puzzle of each character, that stayed with me through the book. I found Life and Other Shortcomings to be a beautiful, satisfying reading experience, and I absolutely look forward to devouring Adjmi’s next book.

1 Comment
Cine S
8/12/2020 04:42:19 pm

I totally agreed! I found myself highlighting so many phrases and touching moments from each story. The whole collection was gut wrenchingly familiar. All of the characters so real, so alive, and so relatable. Every few pages I unknowingly stopped and found myself thinking, as chills crept up my arms and spine. Each story tapped into a part of me I never knew existed, or at least never wanted to think about for too long.

The collection is beautifully written, with juxtapositions of sadness and delight, this heartbreakingly real and vivacious collection demonstrates the true rollercoaster of daily life.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

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    I'm Jen Moyers, co-host of the Unabridged Podcast and an English teacher.

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