pickI have tried reading Krauss‘s novels but, though I appreciated her skill, I could never connect to her writing, characters and plots. The stories in To be a man changed that. I loved Switzerland (a woman remembers her teenage friend‘s sexual relationship with an older married man) and I am asleep but my heart is awake (a woman grieves her dead father and finds comfort in the presence of a mysterious stranger).
pickI've had some mixed experiences with Nicole Krauss but I felt more connected to her characters in these short stories than I usually am in her novels. I was not prepared for how much Israel is a central location for these stories, largely Tel Aviv. It did add its own element that helped them feel more distinct. It is an interesting choice, to focus on all male characters and how they relate to the always female narrator.
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My favorites:↘️
To Be a Man | 
