Scan barcode
gadicohen93's review against another edition
4.0
Moore's writing style is on point. That is: She serves almost every story on a needlepoint, with puns and jokes so barbed and twisted, and a sense of tragedy so mundanely wrought and heinous in its pedestrianism, that you can't help but feel like a thread being spun and strapped into her characters' lives. Her voice seems to present a defeated outrage at the meaninglessness of the world; her characters -- mostly sad women overcoming personal traumas and long stretches of mediocrity -- go through life with observations and feelings you can't help but understand in your gut.
Of course, that is only Moore at her best. While the majority of stories prod and needle you along, some stories are pointless. What seems like an extraordinarily powerful writing style in some parts -- an absurd, seemingly almost arbitrary choice of words and lines that chisel away at profound insights -- can feel deafening and, worse, exhaustingly lifeless at other parts. I had to skip the majority of one story here that I wasn't really feeling.
But hers is such a unique style that I can't say that I didn't deeply enjoy this book. This is the second time reading "People Like This," and it only got better the second time. Other stories are less memorable, but still powerful in the same sort of stinging, incisive way.
Of course, that is only Moore at her best. While the majority of stories prod and needle you along, some stories are pointless. What seems like an extraordinarily powerful writing style in some parts -- an absurd, seemingly almost arbitrary choice of words and lines that chisel away at profound insights -- can feel deafening and, worse, exhaustingly lifeless at other parts. I had to skip the majority of one story here that I wasn't really feeling.
But hers is such a unique style that I can't say that I didn't deeply enjoy this book. This is the second time reading "People Like This," and it only got better the second time. Other stories are less memorable, but still powerful in the same sort of stinging, incisive way.
psilvestro's review against another edition
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
emlocke's review against another edition
3.0
Huh. Sort of a downgrade upon a complete reading. The best stories are "Willing," "Community Life," and "Agnes of Iowa," which are all somewhat similar, now that I think about them, and are all in the first half of the book. Once, I liked "Charades" best, but the prat fall didn't crack me up this time. I couldn't read "Dance in America" without hearing Louise Edrich gasp and croak it out loud, which she did for a New Yorker Fiction podcast a few months ago. "Don't let the emphysematic narrator near the sickly child!" And I guess once you've already heard the most climactic line in the story, it will never have the same impact. "Beautiful Grade" was funny but became so confusing it was dull.
I still love Lorrie Moore. I just shouldn't read her more than once. Her characters speak like I do and her similes, though they tend to stand up and wave frantically at you, maybe in a t-shirt that says "SIMILE" with a big smile caricature or something ridiculous like that, make me think. I appreciate that.
I still love Lorrie Moore. I just shouldn't read her more than once. Her characters speak like I do and her similes, though they tend to stand up and wave frantically at you, maybe in a t-shirt that says "SIMILE" with a big smile caricature or something ridiculous like that, make me think. I appreciate that.
annadirknowitzki's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It feels like the 90s. Some of the main characters feel a little too similar. But all of the stories are emotional, affecting, and scratching at something big and true about being human. I quite enjoyed it.
amoskane's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it but was sad(?) to find 5 St. Vincent song titles in the text. I sure hope Annie called Lorrie and they talked this out.
clairemarlowe's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book because David Sedaris told me too.
liambetts's review against another edition
5.0
It's been about two months since I've finished a book, so it's good to be back!
I spent the month of June and first week of July taking a playwriting/screenwriting class, so although I didn't read/write any fiction I read a TON of plays and scripts and wrote a lot of scenes. And then I just got back on the 25th from Camp Kesem, a week long summer camp that was absolutely amazing and exhausting.
In the interim I found out that I was accepted into Lorrie Moore's creative writing workshop at Vanderbilt, which I am super stoked/star-struck for! To prepare I've decided to read loads of short stories, and where better to start than with Moore herself.
I've read a few of her stories in the New Yorker before and was always impressed with them (Juniper Tree). Birds of America contains 12 of them. My favorites were definitely Dance in America, Real Estate, Terrific Mother, and of course People Like That.
It's clear that Moore is incredibly intelligent in the way that she crafts her sentences and metaphors. In the space of a few pages she manages to create complete worlds, characters, and relationships. She approaches dark and heart wrenching subjects with wit and her style is very inspiring.
There's more I could say but I'm a little rusty at this. I'm just very excited to get to be a student of hers next semester.
I spent the month of June and first week of July taking a playwriting/screenwriting class, so although I didn't read/write any fiction I read a TON of plays and scripts and wrote a lot of scenes. And then I just got back on the 25th from Camp Kesem, a week long summer camp that was absolutely amazing and exhausting.
In the interim I found out that I was accepted into Lorrie Moore's creative writing workshop at Vanderbilt, which I am super stoked/star-struck for! To prepare I've decided to read loads of short stories, and where better to start than with Moore herself.
I've read a few of her stories in the New Yorker before and was always impressed with them (Juniper Tree). Birds of America contains 12 of them. My favorites were definitely Dance in America, Real Estate, Terrific Mother, and of course People Like That.
It's clear that Moore is incredibly intelligent in the way that she crafts her sentences and metaphors. In the space of a few pages she manages to create complete worlds, characters, and relationships. She approaches dark and heart wrenching subjects with wit and her style is very inspiring.
There's more I could say but I'm a little rusty at this. I'm just very excited to get to be a student of hers next semester.