Welcome to Litsy!

My favorite delivery of the day: Auntie‘s Books in downtown Spokane! (As featured in one of the stories in Jess Walter‘s fine collection.) This is the first of two cartloads - 44 pieces total. Great selection and great people too!

“I guess remembering is better than living.“
This was a fantastic collection filled with characters who are down & out: some living on the edges of society due to poverty & or addiction, while a few are plain unlikeable. There is a broad range here: from the lyrical title story which spans nearly 4 decades that speaks of the desire of & impossibility of transcending circumstance, to the zombie dystopian Don't Eat Cat which is very much an (cont)

This collection of short stories from Spokane, Seattle, and Portland is enticing and even comedic at times. I often wished some of the stories went on longer. Covers topics from addiction and poverty and survival and relational hurts. So while an easy read in the length and well-writtenness, it‘s heavier on the topic matter of stories.

Library tradeback #Novella Esther the Griff again lending her modeling talents to the presentation. #DogsofLitsy

I'm usually not a short #story reader, but love Jess Walter so am listening to this while walking. Right now appreciating The New Frontier: part hilarity, part social commentary, part cautionary tale, where a Starbuck's coffee cost $60 and the Baristas are incompetent Zombies. ("I know, you're not supposed to call them that.") Each story is touching in it's own way. Highly recommend. #TheSpineVew @Eggs

Taking me back to when I was a Litsy baby! I found these screen shots from back in 2016. Does anyone else remember what reviews looked like then? #ThowbackThursday @Cinfhen @MrBook Feel free to chime in other people!

And how can we forget my old handle! 😂😂😂

I‘m back from my outside commitment (a candidate forum), and can focus on #readathon now! Starting this book of short stories. I loved Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Here‘s my stack for the #readathon and beyond. It‘s a tradition - I MUST have ten books! 🤓 This eclectic bunch should cover all my moods (including my severely impaired ability to focus at around 1:00 a.m. - that‘s when my friend, Nancy, steps in). Tomorrow is “tidy up, plan food” day. Excited to begin at 6:00 a.m. Saturday. Hope many Litsy friends are participating!
@DeweysReadathon

I couldn‘t decide what to read, so I‘m just switching books every 20 minutes. This doesn‘t seem like the most effective way to read...

A great opportunity for a class of northwest writers to discuss We Live in Water with its author. A great book about Spokane by one of Spokane's own! Really interesting to hear about how his own life and upbringing have made him the writer he is -- or is becoming. I need to check out more of his work!

5🌟.. Brilliant collection!!

Semi-autobiographical vignettes of life in the Inland Northwest. Some comical, some tragic, at least one with a delicious twist. Serves as a perfect companion to Campbell's Mothers, Tell Your Daughters -- this one explores the worlds of white working class men, many of them hapless or hard luck cases. In the audio version, the author makes a cameo appearance in the final story, a paean to his 'transitional' Spokane neighborhood.

Continuation of rant from same short story as previous post about this book.

Interesting thought. This is a slightly future-set short story. The story is mainly about how people who took this club drug turned into zombies 💀 who eat cats. 🙀

Looking forward to my introduction to Jess Walter at my library's Adult Story Time. Cat-eating zombies and listless baristas should make for fine lunch-time entertainment!

Does anyone else think we're way past due for a new Jess Walter novel? This short story collection was good, but I want more.

Such a great collection! Of course I had favorites, particularly the first two: Anything Helps & We Live In Water. Jess tugged at my heart in some of these, making my eyes sting a bit. In others, his satire made me chuckle. Easily one of the better short story collections that I've read.

A short book of short stories. Only 177 pages.

I meant to read just one story but I am COMPLETELY HOOKED after the first story and now I can't seem to stop.

I brought this with me to read on this huge camping/roadtrip my family is on right now but there's no way I can wait to read by campfire. 🚐

4.5🌟 This collection had me from the first page. The first story remained one of my favorites. The 2-3 page stories were the weakest, but in long form, Walter really shines! The eponymous story is one of the best I've read in the past year. Don't miss these short stories!

Love this quote! #readathon

Only counting today's pages towards the #readathon! It starts here!

One effing paragraph, and I'm effing hooked. I'll have to read until a story I don't like. I should know better than to pick up a book after 11 PM!