Welcome to Litsy!

I went into this story completely blind and it turned out to be such a clever little book!

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This smart novella follows a girl writing her life story after discovering her rich, exacting parents kidnapped her as an infant. But the publishers don't like her lack of emotion in the manuscript. Her meeting with them does not go as anyone expects.

This is a short story really, rather than a book. It's very clever and witty. It really sparkles, and has left a smile on my face.

“The Arabs understand honor, which embraces generosity and hospitality.” Honor also includes cultivating trust and if one can‘t be bothered to take the time, best not enter into a contract without due scrutiny.

Clever 17 year old Marguerite; her Maman prepared her well.

Since this novella is a tiny little thing, it‘s hard to say much without spoilers. I really want to check out the series of Storybook ND!

This is a such a fantastic little book. I neglected to take a photo of its magnificent 🍰 cover before returning it to the library, but I did snap a shot of the page with the line that made me laugh out loud (blurred further down the page, so as not to spoil the joy), so I could share it with the friend who recommended this gem to me. 💖

There was a lovely NPR segment ,Littens have given wonderful reviews, & I agree. It is odd , charming, & well written. The idea that ND storybook volumes are slim enough to be enjoyed in a single afternoon is brilliant. I love big books, but sometimes you want a small gem! It‘s as delicious as those Thiebaud cakes look !

I‘m going to look for more books from this publisher after reading this short little gem. The back cover says: “Storybook ND: the pleasure of reading a great book from cover to cover in an afternoon”.

Ann Patchett recommended this 69-page book on IG recently. Fortunately, one of the libraries I frequent had it on the shelf. Like Ann, I read the story, put it down, picked it up shortly thereafter and read it again with a smile on my face.

This book is recommended by Anne Patchett. It is the oddest little book I have read in a while. It‘s been compared to The Uncommon Reader, which I also loved. Sometimes the smallest books are the best books. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This New Directions Storybook by Helen Dewitt is a delight! I've spent the last few months reading all her work ( 2 novels + 1 book of short stories + this), and it's BY FAR my favourite. Her writing is always smart but it's often bloodless. In this one, she actually uses that sang froid to her advantage.
Bought this copy at Shakespeare & Co back in April, so that added to my enjoyment. Kinda intrigued to read more of these ND storybooks.

With apologies for a metaphor moralizing food, (pleasure should not be guilty): The cover is a great fit, this feels like a slice of sinfully rich cake, no redeeming nutritional value. High society crimes, villains which thanks as much to snobbery as fraud and theft, you love to hate, but make for a delightful escapism in hearing descriptions of the luxuries they indulge in while 'getting away with it'. 🧐

A considerate employer who acknowledges their mistakes...now let's have a few more outside the realm of fiction, please.

Walkability - key factor in choosing one's neighborhood. ☺️

The idea behind the Storybook ND imprint is to offer “the pleasure of reading a great book from cover to cover in an afternoon.” Helen DeWitt‘s THE ENGLISH UNDERSTAND WOOL is a crackling tale, full of wit and fury, whose deft evisceration of the publishing industry is just one of its many pleasures. Fabulous. @skylarkbookshop has this and others in the series in stock.