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grouchypeas's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t feel particularly attached to one, but I enjoyed these stories
sakeriver's review against another edition
I particularly liked the stories by Alexander Chee, Brandon Taylor, and Allison Mills. Not every story landed for me, but they were all well done, and the ones that did land were very good, indeed.
readsewknit's review against another edition
4.0
I've long appreciated short stories, but they took over my reading pile after I found myself with unpredictable bursts of reading time when I was in the throes of my newborn babies. When my hygiene might be suspect and there may or may not be a well-rounded meal on the table and I might not remember when the floor was tidy enough for me to vacuum thoroughly, I could find satisfaction in beginning and finishing a short story in one sitting. I am past that sleep-deprived state, but I will always have a fondness for short stories.
Everyday People: The Color of Life--A Short Story Anthology is a curated collection of short stories. Many had me highlighting a line or passage (certainly not a given for me), and I would sometimes have to pause mid-paragraph to digest.
In the introduction, we learn the stories have all been written by people of color. And regarding the title Everyday People, Jennifer Baker reveals, "The name of this anthology is not meant to solely focus on the racial composition of the writers or characters but to showcase the larger story and relationships depicted as well as the landscape--be it in New York City, Maine, Alabama, Great Britain, South Korea, Ghana, or Sri Lanka."
My heart would tug as I would become invested in these stories, wishing I could alter outcomes and guarantee happiness. The fact that I was so drawn in speaks to the caliber of the work. They are far reaching. Perhaps we're following a fantastical account of a mental connection that allows individuals to communicate without speaking. Then there's the story of the older woman who enters homes with newborn children to support the families, but only for a fixed amount of time before she takes her leave. And the account of how people get into drugs and prostitution. Or maybe we're reading of the grandmother and granddaughter who can catch ghosts in their hair.
I imagine this title being used as required reading in a college course, leading to rich conversations in class. Some of these stories will make you uncomfortable, but as we wrestle to articulate what wrung us out, there can be insight into ourselves.
For those wanting more, at the close of the book you can find numerous recommendations in "Reading List of Contemporary Works by Women, Nonbinary, and Transgender Writers of Color/Indigenous Writers."
(I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review.)
Everyday People: The Color of Life--A Short Story Anthology is a curated collection of short stories. Many had me highlighting a line or passage (certainly not a given for me), and I would sometimes have to pause mid-paragraph to digest.
In the introduction, we learn the stories have all been written by people of color. And regarding the title Everyday People, Jennifer Baker reveals, "The name of this anthology is not meant to solely focus on the racial composition of the writers or characters but to showcase the larger story and relationships depicted as well as the landscape--be it in New York City, Maine, Alabama, Great Britain, South Korea, Ghana, or Sri Lanka."
My heart would tug as I would become invested in these stories, wishing I could alter outcomes and guarantee happiness. The fact that I was so drawn in speaks to the caliber of the work. They are far reaching. Perhaps we're following a fantastical account of a mental connection that allows individuals to communicate without speaking. Then there's the story of the older woman who enters homes with newborn children to support the families, but only for a fixed amount of time before she takes her leave. And the account of how people get into drugs and prostitution. Or maybe we're reading of the grandmother and granddaughter who can catch ghosts in their hair.
I imagine this title being used as required reading in a college course, leading to rich conversations in class. Some of these stories will make you uncomfortable, but as we wrestle to articulate what wrung us out, there can be insight into ourselves.
For those wanting more, at the close of the book you can find numerous recommendations in "Reading List of Contemporary Works by Women, Nonbinary, and Transgender Writers of Color/Indigenous Writers."
(I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review.)
yourstrulyanabelle's review
3.0
a story for everyone
my favorite was a sheltered woman by yiyun li
here's an excerpt: "She could turn herself into her grandmother, for whom sleep had become optional in the end; she could turn herself into her mother, too, eating little because it was Baby who needed nourishment. She could become a fugitive from this world that had kept her for too long, but this urge, coming as it often did in waves, no longer frightened her, as it had years ago. She was getting older, more forgetful, yet she was also closer to comprehending the danger of being herself. She had, unlike her mother and her grandmother, talked herself into being a woman with an ordinary fate. When she moved on to the next place, she would leave no mystery or damage behind; no one in this world would be disturbed by having known her."
my favorite was a sheltered woman by yiyun li
here's an excerpt: "She could turn herself into her grandmother, for whom sleep had become optional in the end; she could turn herself into her mother, too, eating little because it was Baby who needed nourishment. She could become a fugitive from this world that had kept her for too long, but this urge, coming as it often did in waves, no longer frightened her, as it had years ago. She was getting older, more forgetful, yet she was also closer to comprehending the danger of being herself. She had, unlike her mother and her grandmother, talked herself into being a woman with an ordinary fate. When she moved on to the next place, she would leave no mystery or damage behind; no one in this world would be disturbed by having known her."
yourstrulyanabelle's review against another edition
3.0
a story for everyone
my favorite was a sheltered woman by yiyun li
here's an excerpt: "She could turn herself into her grandmother, for whom sleep had become optional in the end; she could turn herself into her mother, too, eating little because it was Baby who needed nourishment. She could become a fugitive from this world that had kept her for too long, but this urge, coming as it often did in waves, no longer frightened her, as it had years ago. She was getting older, more forgetful, yet she was also closer to comprehending the danger of being herself. She had, unlike her mother and her grandmother, talked herself into being a woman with an ordinary fate. When she moved on to the next place, she would leave no mystery or damage behind; no one in this world would be disturbed by having known her."
my favorite was a sheltered woman by yiyun li
here's an excerpt: "She could turn herself into her grandmother, for whom sleep had become optional in the end; she could turn herself into her mother, too, eating little because it was Baby who needed nourishment. She could become a fugitive from this world that had kept her for too long, but this urge, coming as it often did in waves, no longer frightened her, as it had years ago. She was getting older, more forgetful, yet she was also closer to comprehending the danger of being herself. She had, unlike her mother and her grandmother, talked herself into being a woman with an ordinary fate. When she moved on to the next place, she would leave no mystery or damage behind; no one in this world would be disturbed by having known her."
destined_333's review
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
mcnamasa's review against another edition
4.0
All of the stories were well written and engaging. Some were more interesting than others, but the collection is definitely worth a read.
lizmart88's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! Extraordinary group of short stories. I often find anthologies to be mixed bag of good vs great but pretty much every story in this collection blew me away.
As the title implies, it's a collection by poc authors writing about poc characters. And while race is centered and portrayed authentically, it's not the focus of any story. Rather, it's about the little, the ordinary, the everyday moments that define our lives. Every story has a very different feel of course, but all of them bring their own loveliness.
Read and enjoy!
As the title implies, it's a collection by poc authors writing about poc characters. And while race is centered and portrayed authentically, it's not the focus of any story. Rather, it's about the little, the ordinary, the everyday moments that define our lives. Every story has a very different feel of course, but all of them bring their own loveliness.
Read and enjoy!
i_masad's review against another edition
5.0
In this thread, I discuss various craft elements the incredible stories in this book work with, and the glorious Jennifer Baker who edited this anthology chimes in with her thoughts as well, so check it out, it's good reading:
https://twitter.com/ilanaslightly/status/1072539048449896449
https://twitter.com/ilanaslightly/status/1072539048449896449