Call number
FIC TOW
Collections
Publication
Viking (2024), 464 pages
Description
"The millions of readers of Amor Towles are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter fiction: six stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles. The New York stories, most of which are set around the turn of the millennium, take up everything from the death-defying acrobatics of the male ego, to the fateful consequences of brief encounters, and the delicate mechanics of comprise which operate at the heart of modern marriages. In Towles's novel, Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September, 1938, with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, "Eve in Hollywood" describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself-and others-in the midst of Hollywood's golden age. Throughout the stories, two characters often find themselves sitting across a table for two where the direction of their futures may hinge upon what they say to each other next. Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles's canon of stylish and transporting historical fiction"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member sleahey
As someone who usually avoids short stories, I couldn't get enough of the ones in this masterful collection. The first half of this volume is short stories set in New York City, dealing with contemporary relationships and the impact individual actions can have on others. Whether unthinking or
Show More
deliberate, unintended consequences may lead to altered lives in a most detrimental way. The second half of this book is a novella comprised of intertwined vignettes, each with the character Eve, sometimes on the periphery, who has a remarkable influence on the people she encounters. Towles's understated prose has a way of seeming effortless in drawing in readers to care about the characters and get the message about interconnectedness. Show Less
LibraryThing member pdebolt
I am not a fan of short stories, but having read and loved Rules of Civility, I decided that Amor Towles' short stories and a novella in Table for Two must be worth reading. It definitely is. There are six short stories with remarkable story lines and characters; throughout the stories, the table
Show More
for two theme is key to the trajectory of the story. The novella involves Eve Ross from Rules of Civility. It is set in Hollywood in the 1930s with noteworthy names from that time. Amor Towles is a master wordsmith with a grasp of historical fiction that is captivating. Show Less
LibraryThing member dwcofer
In his latest work, Amor Towles presents us with six short stories and a novella. I have not read Towles before (yes, I know I am late to the party, but better late than never, right?), so this was a great introduction for me to his work. I so much enjoyed this book that I plan on going back and
The language was beautiful without being overly flowery and the prose flowed effortlessly. I would read several pages and it read so smoothly that I felt like I had only read a couple of pages, when it fact it was half of the story. Towles’ language sold me. But, more than that, the stories were wonderful tales.
Most of the stories are set in New York, except for the first one, which begins in Russia and ends up in New York. I will say all of the stories have somewhat of a sad ending, but a pleasant ending, nonetheless. Justice is served and wrongdoers are punished, even when we have closely identified with those characters.
Briefly, here is a summary of each story. The first story, “The Line,” tells the story of a man in Russia who is so inept that he even loses his job as a janitor. He cannot sweep flour up from the floor without filling the air with the flour. However, he eventually finds his calling. He is a patient man who has a knack for standing in line. He enjoys the mindless task so much, and is so good at it he volunteers to stand in line for others. And, in Russia, there are many lines in which to stand. Finally, he ends up in New York with disastrous results.
The second story is “The Ballad of Timothy Touchett.” This story is about a failed author who finds his calling as a forger of famous author’s signatures. Unfortunately, his scheme ends tragically.
In “Hasta Luego,” our protagonist meets a man at the airport waiting in line, and unfortunately gets more involved in the stranger’s life than he intends to. This was a great story with lots of emotional tugs, but with a tragic ending.
“I Will Survive” was probably the most enjoyable story, but had the most craft issues, which I will explain shortly. A woman who suspects her husband is cheating on her asks her daughter to follow him and see where he is going. At the last minute, she changes her mind and tells her daughter not to follow her husband, but her daughter is so curious now, that she follows him anyway. What she learns about her father is strange and has disastrous results for him and his wife.
This issue has many craft issues. There are multiple POV shifts from the first person to the third person which are jarring to the reader. The first person sections are told from the perspective of Jeremy, the daughter’s husband. But in the third person sections, Jeremy is still telling us of things that happen even when he is not present, which is not possible. This took me out of the story and was distracting. Also, toward the end of the story, the author inserts a section containing his personal views about abortion. This stuck out like a sore thumb and had no relevance to the story. Why Towles felt the need to insert his personal views about abortion in the midst of the story is beyond me and was distracting to what was a very enjoyable story.
“The Bootlegger” was another very enjoyable story as well. A man and his wife have season tickets to performances at Carnegie Hall. They are seated each week next to an old man who is recording the performance on a tape recorder, which is strictly prohibited. After several weeks, the man decides to report the elderly man who is recording the performances, with disastrous results. He later learns a secret about the elderly man and comes to regret reporting him. This may be the most emotional story in the book.
The final short story, “The DiDomenico Fragment” tells the story of a man who has inherited a fragment of a famous painting, but sold it years ago. When an opportunity arises for someone looking to buy his fragment, he tries to broker the sale of another relative’s fragment of the painting. And, like all the other stories, this one also ends with his failure.
The final piece in the book is a novella, “Eve in Hollywood.” It is a sequel to Towles previous book, Rules of Civility. As previously stated, I have not read Rules of Civility, and am told that it is best to read Rules prior to reading this story, but I read the novella in this story anyway and plan to go back and read Rules of Civility soon.
This story picks up where Rules of Civility ends with Eve extending her train ticket and ending up in Hollywood where she meets Olivia de Havilland. I won’t go into the plot here as it is rather involved. This novella, about 200 pages long starts out strong, lags a little in the middle, then picks up strongly at the end. It contains many twists and turns and is a great story. I am anxious to now read Rules of Civility to learn more about Eve.
Overall, this is one of the best books I have read in ages. A FULL 5-star rating.
Show More
reading all of his previous work.The language was beautiful without being overly flowery and the prose flowed effortlessly. I would read several pages and it read so smoothly that I felt like I had only read a couple of pages, when it fact it was half of the story. Towles’ language sold me. But, more than that, the stories were wonderful tales.
Most of the stories are set in New York, except for the first one, which begins in Russia and ends up in New York. I will say all of the stories have somewhat of a sad ending, but a pleasant ending, nonetheless. Justice is served and wrongdoers are punished, even when we have closely identified with those characters.
Briefly, here is a summary of each story. The first story, “The Line,” tells the story of a man in Russia who is so inept that he even loses his job as a janitor. He cannot sweep flour up from the floor without filling the air with the flour. However, he eventually finds his calling. He is a patient man who has a knack for standing in line. He enjoys the mindless task so much, and is so good at it he volunteers to stand in line for others. And, in Russia, there are many lines in which to stand. Finally, he ends up in New York with disastrous results.
The second story is “The Ballad of Timothy Touchett.” This story is about a failed author who finds his calling as a forger of famous author’s signatures. Unfortunately, his scheme ends tragically.
In “Hasta Luego,” our protagonist meets a man at the airport waiting in line, and unfortunately gets more involved in the stranger’s life than he intends to. This was a great story with lots of emotional tugs, but with a tragic ending.
“I Will Survive” was probably the most enjoyable story, but had the most craft issues, which I will explain shortly. A woman who suspects her husband is cheating on her asks her daughter to follow him and see where he is going. At the last minute, she changes her mind and tells her daughter not to follow her husband, but her daughter is so curious now, that she follows him anyway. What she learns about her father is strange and has disastrous results for him and his wife.
This issue has many craft issues. There are multiple POV shifts from the first person to the third person which are jarring to the reader. The first person sections are told from the perspective of Jeremy, the daughter’s husband. But in the third person sections, Jeremy is still telling us of things that happen even when he is not present, which is not possible. This took me out of the story and was distracting. Also, toward the end of the story, the author inserts a section containing his personal views about abortion. This stuck out like a sore thumb and had no relevance to the story. Why Towles felt the need to insert his personal views about abortion in the midst of the story is beyond me and was distracting to what was a very enjoyable story.
“The Bootlegger” was another very enjoyable story as well. A man and his wife have season tickets to performances at Carnegie Hall. They are seated each week next to an old man who is recording the performance on a tape recorder, which is strictly prohibited. After several weeks, the man decides to report the elderly man who is recording the performances, with disastrous results. He later learns a secret about the elderly man and comes to regret reporting him. This may be the most emotional story in the book.
The final short story, “The DiDomenico Fragment” tells the story of a man who has inherited a fragment of a famous painting, but sold it years ago. When an opportunity arises for someone looking to buy his fragment, he tries to broker the sale of another relative’s fragment of the painting. And, like all the other stories, this one also ends with his failure.
The final piece in the book is a novella, “Eve in Hollywood.” It is a sequel to Towles previous book, Rules of Civility. As previously stated, I have not read Rules of Civility, and am told that it is best to read Rules prior to reading this story, but I read the novella in this story anyway and plan to go back and read Rules of Civility soon.
This story picks up where Rules of Civility ends with Eve extending her train ticket and ending up in Hollywood where she meets Olivia de Havilland. I won’t go into the plot here as it is rather involved. This novella, about 200 pages long starts out strong, lags a little in the middle, then picks up strongly at the end. It contains many twists and turns and is a great story. I am anxious to now read Rules of Civility to learn more about Eve.
Overall, this is one of the best books I have read in ages. A FULL 5-star rating.
Show Less
LibraryThing member nancyadair
Table for Two is a cornucopia of delights, each story filled with wit and understanding of the human condition.
First, there are six short stories. There is Pushkin who makes the best of the worst situation both in Soviet Russia and New York City, and the wannabe writer who laments his uneventful
Then, we are gifted a story about Eve Ross from Rules of Civility. Rules is a delightful novel set in late 1930s New York City. Kate, the main character, becomes friends with Eve. They fall in with a man who turns out to be quite different from appearances. Eve is briefly engaged to him but abruptly leaves the city, on her way home to the Midwest, but stays on the train all the way to LA. And this is where Towles picks up her story for this collection.
Eve, her blond beauty marred by a facial scar from a car accident, is cool and intelligent and fearless. She befriends a retired cop and a once famous movie star who gave up the limelight–and starvation–for the comfort of food. Eve saves “Dehavvy” Olivia de Haviland from a boring ‘date’ set up by the studio. Eve takes Olivia under her wing. When Olivia finds herself blackmailed, Eve jumps in, and with the aid of her new friends, sets to make things right.
It’s a fun romp through old Hollywood, full of the sparkling dialogue of classic films and with a hearty dose of noir. Eve shines as a wonderful character we want to hear more of.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
First, there are six short stories. There is Pushkin who makes the best of the worst situation both in Soviet Russia and New York City, and the wannabe writer who laments his uneventful
Show More
life bereft of tragedy and hardship. The traveler who is bullied into assuming responsibility for an affable, alcoholic, stranger. The happily married divided by the husband’s innocent, but secret life. And my favorite, being a season ticket holder for the symphony, is the story of a man’s shameful, self-righteous actions against another symphony patron. I, too, get awfully miffed at concert goers who don’t show proper respect. But, I don’t agree with the character’s insight of “Say what you will about classical music, one thing it has going for it is that it lets your mind wander.”Then, we are gifted a story about Eve Ross from Rules of Civility. Rules is a delightful novel set in late 1930s New York City. Kate, the main character, becomes friends with Eve. They fall in with a man who turns out to be quite different from appearances. Eve is briefly engaged to him but abruptly leaves the city, on her way home to the Midwest, but stays on the train all the way to LA. And this is where Towles picks up her story for this collection.
Eve, her blond beauty marred by a facial scar from a car accident, is cool and intelligent and fearless. She befriends a retired cop and a once famous movie star who gave up the limelight–and starvation–for the comfort of food. Eve saves “Dehavvy” Olivia de Haviland from a boring ‘date’ set up by the studio. Eve takes Olivia under her wing. When Olivia finds herself blackmailed, Eve jumps in, and with the aid of her new friends, sets to make things right.
It’s a fun romp through old Hollywood, full of the sparkling dialogue of classic films and with a hearty dose of noir. Eve shines as a wonderful character we want to hear more of.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member srms.reads
Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles is a fascinating collection of stories featuring distinct characters and varied themes in contemporary and historical settings, written in elegant prose. Of the seven stories in this collection, the first story is set in communist Russia and New York, the
The Line (4.5) follows a Russian peasant named Pushkin whose wife, inspired by Bolshevik ideals, moves them from their village to Moscow and then to New York in an attempt to realize their full potential. The Ballad of Timothy Touchett (4.5) follows an aspiring writer whose search for inspiration leads him to take a job as an assistant to a rare bookseller, unaware of what would be expected of him in his new workplace. When a man befriends a fellow traveler while stranded in New York City due to inclement weather he has no idea what his evening with his jovial companion will entail in Hasta Luego. (4.5) After her mother suspects her stepfather of infidelity, a married young woman decides to follow him to find out what he is actually up to, triggering a sequence of events that subsequently reveals the cracks in each of their own relationships in I Will Survive (4) A successful investment banker exposes an elderly man for secretly recording performances at Carnegie Hall only to be haunted by the consequences of his actions in The Bootlegger. (5) The DiDomenico Fragment (5) follows a sixty-five-year-old retiree with his own agenda as he tries to manipulate a relative into selling a rare piece of art to a collector.
Eve In Hollywood (4) follows Evelyn Ross (from the author’s novel Rules of Civility) after she leaves Manhattan and lands in Los Angeles. Set during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the narrative is shared from multiple perspectives and introduces a cast of interesting characters (featuring both fictional and fictionalized versions of real-life characters) with a noir element that adds a touch of intrigue to the story. This is more a short novel than a short story and is an expanded version of a novella by the same name. While I enjoyed following Eve, I did think her story has the potential to be developed further into a full-length novel. Please note that it won’t be necessary to have read the preceding novel to enjoy this novella.
Each of these stories was well-crafted and the characters are well-thought-out. The author explores themes of choices and consequences, family and trust, ambition and guilt, friendship and appreciation for the arts, among others. Towles’ characters are realistic, their flaws and reactions believable ( even in their most absurd moments). The author’s keen observation of human behavior is evident in his writing. Thought-provoking and entertaining with a perfect balance of wisdom, humor and emotion, this collection is a joy to read. For those who have enjoyed Towles’s work in the past, this collection stands as a testament to the author’s masterful storytelling and literary craftsmanship. If you haven’t read the author’s work before, this collection would be the perfect introduction to his work.
Many thanks to Penguin Group Viking for the digital review copy via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Show More
following four in New York and the final story is set in Los Angeles.The Line (4.5) follows a Russian peasant named Pushkin whose wife, inspired by Bolshevik ideals, moves them from their village to Moscow and then to New York in an attempt to realize their full potential. The Ballad of Timothy Touchett (4.5) follows an aspiring writer whose search for inspiration leads him to take a job as an assistant to a rare bookseller, unaware of what would be expected of him in his new workplace. When a man befriends a fellow traveler while stranded in New York City due to inclement weather he has no idea what his evening with his jovial companion will entail in Hasta Luego. (4.5) After her mother suspects her stepfather of infidelity, a married young woman decides to follow him to find out what he is actually up to, triggering a sequence of events that subsequently reveals the cracks in each of their own relationships in I Will Survive (4) A successful investment banker exposes an elderly man for secretly recording performances at Carnegie Hall only to be haunted by the consequences of his actions in The Bootlegger. (5) The DiDomenico Fragment (5) follows a sixty-five-year-old retiree with his own agenda as he tries to manipulate a relative into selling a rare piece of art to a collector.
Eve In Hollywood (4) follows Evelyn Ross (from the author’s novel Rules of Civility) after she leaves Manhattan and lands in Los Angeles. Set during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the narrative is shared from multiple perspectives and introduces a cast of interesting characters (featuring both fictional and fictionalized versions of real-life characters) with a noir element that adds a touch of intrigue to the story. This is more a short novel than a short story and is an expanded version of a novella by the same name. While I enjoyed following Eve, I did think her story has the potential to be developed further into a full-length novel. Please note that it won’t be necessary to have read the preceding novel to enjoy this novella.
Each of these stories was well-crafted and the characters are well-thought-out. The author explores themes of choices and consequences, family and trust, ambition and guilt, friendship and appreciation for the arts, among others. Towles’ characters are realistic, their flaws and reactions believable ( even in their most absurd moments). The author’s keen observation of human behavior is evident in his writing. Thought-provoking and entertaining with a perfect balance of wisdom, humor and emotion, this collection is a joy to read. For those who have enjoyed Towles’s work in the past, this collection stands as a testament to the author’s masterful storytelling and literary craftsmanship. If you haven’t read the author’s work before, this collection would be the perfect introduction to his work.
Many thanks to Penguin Group Viking for the digital review copy via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Show Less
LibraryThing member froxgirl
This delightful collection, six short stories and a novella, seems like an in-between the big novels for Towles, who is a writer who can perfectly balance character study with slimmer plotting. The stories all have little twisty endings that you might or might not see coming, but either way, they
Show More
add up to a most enjoyable journey. The Line is about a muzhik who transfers his genial customer skills from Russia to NYC; The Ballad of Timothy Touchett features a forger and his employer; Hasta Luego’s main character is a lovable man who falls off the wagon and relies on a stranger to catch him; I Will Survive centers the joy of roller disco; The Bootlegger takes place at Carnegie Hall, where a noveau riche couple encounters a devoted symphony lover; and The DeDomenico Fragment describes the difficult splitting of an inherited painting. The novella, Eve in Hollywood, is a sequel to Rules Of Civility, his outstanding first novel, and can be read joyously as a stand-alone. Those of us who savor every word Towles writes will be pleased to sink into the warmth of his writing and into his obvious love for humanity without judgment, quite rare these days. Show Less
LibraryThing member Narshkite
"But nothing is ever as simple as it seems. At least not if you're overeducated, overpaid, and living in New York."
I believe this collection of short stories, anchored by a novella (a noirish crime caper that really is a bit too long to qualify as a novella) is the finest writing Amor Towles has
I believe this collection of short stories, anchored by a novella (a noirish crime caper that really is a bit too long to qualify as a novella) is the finest writing Amor Towles has
Show More
ever done. I count myself a superfan, so this is very high praise. This is stunning. Funny, poignant, elegant, brilliantly observant, old-fashioned in the best way, and filled with the sort of prose that is the reason I read. This is the writing I am chasing after all the time, and here I caught it. Maybe the best part is that, without being saccharine, and while revealing many of the characters' choices that are less than noble, Towles leaves me liking humans more than I usually do. Everyone is so complex and somehow relatable, even the people barely on the page. I could not stop from empathizing all over the place. I loved everyone as they were, with all their realness, in part for, rather than in spite of their selfishness, defensiveness, snobbery, and greed. Beautiful. Show Less
LibraryThing member kayanelson
Another great book by Amor Towles which consists of 6 short stories and a novella, Eve in Hollywood. Eve in Hollywood is based on the character in Rules of Civility which I read many years ago so I didn’t remember all of the details. But it wasn’t necessary.
Amor Towles is an amazing writer. He
Amor Towles is an amazing writer. He
Show More
effortlessly weaves in great thoughts or observations in his story telling that often ring true. My favorite of the short stories was The Bootlegger which is about an elderly man who tapes the symphony at Carnegie Hall much to the dismay of the man sitting next to him. The unfolding of the story was excellent but, what most impressed me was Towles writing about what it’s like to listen to classical music. So true and so relatable. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Table for Two, Amor Towles, author, Edoardo Ballerini, J. Smith-Cameron, narrators
What an interesting examination of the human condition. Using a variety of short stories, and one novella, each concentrating on particular characters that have either been wronged by the outside world or been wronged
The short stories feature different characters that are subtly connected, and their relationship to each other is knitted together seamlessly at the end. Towles eloquently shows each character with a capacity for dignity and righteousness and/or a capacity for breaking rules and cruelty, even when the intent was not to hurt, but rather, to do the right thing. The choices made by the characters are influenced by the ways in which they have suffered, or perhaps have been abused by the system, or by the ways in which they have lived within the system. Whether from the grief of loss and/or disappointment, or from the inability to understand the whole picture and instead be guided by confusion and misdirection, some characters make foolhardy choices. Some characters were lonely, some felt abandoned, some felt betrayed or betrayed others, some were desperately trying to be independent. Many were dissatisfied with their lives in some way and felt unable to change the direction. The stories reveal how some of us, who are aging and experiencing the exigencies of age, can be given a new lease on life in unexpected places. When offered choices that encourage independence, can we begin again? I wondered if Towles drew from the pieces of his own life experiences and feelings in these tales. Doesn't everyone need a purpose in life and to have hope for a brighter future, even after disappointment and loss? Must grief and the feeling of desperation and an overactive imagination control us as it did some of the characters? Shouldn’t we live life to the fullest?
Many of the characters were trapped and locked in their own mindset, hiding from life and reality. They were not living, or were living in the shadows or in the past. I thought that the message from this book was that we all need to face our challenges head-on, with courage and a creative approach for the future. Perhaps we cannot do what we always did, but does that mean we should stop doing?
Can an actor who is typecast break free, can an out-of-work photographer who is blackballed seek a new career, can a person who feels wronged only seek vengeance, can a widow or widower find happiness alone, will our decisions make or break us? The fantasy world of Hollywood, the wild and frantic world of New York City, all combine to create a life for the characters. Is the Hollywood world that creates fantasy and dreams for their followers and nightmares for others nirvana? Although everything is connected in the end, sometimes it was hard to remember the beginning. Still, the writing captured my imagination, and it all came together, in the end. There were some characters who did the right thing for the wrong reasons and some who did the wrong thing for the right reasons, and some who were simply right or wrong. Towles revealed the strengths and weakness of people through his depiction of their lives even when sometimes it seemed like it was the theater of the absurd.
What an interesting examination of the human condition. Using a variety of short stories, and one novella, each concentrating on particular characters that have either been wronged by the outside world or been wronged
Show More
by their own faulty choices, Towles takes the reader down a path that exposes their human frailties and basic values, or the lack thereof. The book begins with one of the characters, Charley, an older gentleman and former police detective, illegally taping a performance at Carnegie Hall. When he is caught by Tom, and he is reported to the management, he explains that he is taping it for his wife Betty who was now too ill to attend performances with him. Was Tom being self-righteous or responsible? Was Charlie breaking the law for a good reason? Should he be excused? Tom feels guilty about what he did. Should he? Was Charley angry? In this story, and all of the others, each experience motivates a character to move forward or remain stuck in the past, percolating about the injustices experienced by them. The stories are told with a light, sometimes witty touch, so they are never overwhelming or dark.The short stories feature different characters that are subtly connected, and their relationship to each other is knitted together seamlessly at the end. Towles eloquently shows each character with a capacity for dignity and righteousness and/or a capacity for breaking rules and cruelty, even when the intent was not to hurt, but rather, to do the right thing. The choices made by the characters are influenced by the ways in which they have suffered, or perhaps have been abused by the system, or by the ways in which they have lived within the system. Whether from the grief of loss and/or disappointment, or from the inability to understand the whole picture and instead be guided by confusion and misdirection, some characters make foolhardy choices. Some characters were lonely, some felt abandoned, some felt betrayed or betrayed others, some were desperately trying to be independent. Many were dissatisfied with their lives in some way and felt unable to change the direction. The stories reveal how some of us, who are aging and experiencing the exigencies of age, can be given a new lease on life in unexpected places. When offered choices that encourage independence, can we begin again? I wondered if Towles drew from the pieces of his own life experiences and feelings in these tales. Doesn't everyone need a purpose in life and to have hope for a brighter future, even after disappointment and loss? Must grief and the feeling of desperation and an overactive imagination control us as it did some of the characters? Shouldn’t we live life to the fullest?
Many of the characters were trapped and locked in their own mindset, hiding from life and reality. They were not living, or were living in the shadows or in the past. I thought that the message from this book was that we all need to face our challenges head-on, with courage and a creative approach for the future. Perhaps we cannot do what we always did, but does that mean we should stop doing?
Can an actor who is typecast break free, can an out-of-work photographer who is blackballed seek a new career, can a person who feels wronged only seek vengeance, can a widow or widower find happiness alone, will our decisions make or break us? The fantasy world of Hollywood, the wild and frantic world of New York City, all combine to create a life for the characters. Is the Hollywood world that creates fantasy and dreams for their followers and nightmares for others nirvana? Although everything is connected in the end, sometimes it was hard to remember the beginning. Still, the writing captured my imagination, and it all came together, in the end. There were some characters who did the right thing for the wrong reasons and some who did the wrong thing for the right reasons, and some who were simply right or wrong. Towles revealed the strengths and weakness of people through his depiction of their lives even when sometimes it seemed like it was the theater of the absurd.
Show Less
LibraryThing member nivramkoorb
Amor Towles' books seem to get better with each one. I do not rate books highly with a 5 being the best and this is his 2nd in a row(Lincoln Highway). The book consists of 6 short stories and a a 200+ novella. This is the first time for Towles to publish short stories and each was excellent and.
Show More
long enough(around 40 pages) for the story to develop. They center around New York. Each has a very creative plot with the characters making decisions that not always follow their previous experiences. Towles usually makes sure that the bad guys get their just due. The novella was terrific. It follows Evelyn Ross a character from Rules of Civility(his first book). Given that I read almost 50 books a year and this came out over 10 years ago, I did not remember the plot of that book but it did not matter in terms of enjoyment. This is Hollywood in the late 30's. Towles has all these great characters and mixes in some real people. It ends being a good detective story. Eve is a great almost mythical type character. Towles use of prose etc is terrific and he does a great mix of moving from character to character. If have not read Towles, this is a great place to start. I am sure that you will end up reading all of his books. Show Less
LibraryThing member KallieGrace
These were all delightful stories, so random and unusual but not weird. I was quickly drawn into each short story and loved the circumstances the characters found themselves in. The final novela in the second half of the book was ok, but it lacked the tight sparkle of the first half.
LibraryThing member grandpahobo
Brilliant author.
LibraryThing member Romonko
When I saw that Amor Towles had a new book coming out this year, I had to read it. This book is made up of six short stories and one novella which continues the story of Evelyn Ross who we met in Towles' first novel-Rules of Civility. I have found previously that authors who write noteworthy short
"Yes, the music was ascending, and we were ascending with it. First slowly, almost patiently, but then with greater speed and urgency, imagining now for every one instance, and now for another, that we have reached the plateau, only for the music to take us higher still, beyond the realm in which climbing can occur, beyond the realm, in which one looks down at the ground, beyond hope and aspiration into the realm of joy where all that is possible lies before us." The Bootlegger by Amor Towles.
It takes a great writer to write an unforgettable novel but it takes an even greater writer to craft a perfect short story. These six stories are each perfect in their own right. The story about Evelyn was enjoyable in its own right, and it is peopled with lots of familiar names from Old Hollywood. We see how Evelyn ended up in Hollywood when she was heading home to Chicago. We see how her quick thinking and indomitable spirit push the novella forward. The dialogue is succinct and descriptive, and the cadence of the story increases the sense of urgency. I can't recommend this book enough.
Show More
stories, don't usually write novels (ie: Alice Munro). I love Amor Towles' writing skills, and I wondered how these skills would translate to the short story format. Well I needn't have worried. These stories are each gems in their own right. Towles's remarkable writing skills bring each story to life . The short stories are all set in New York City and mostly take place around the year 2000. The Los Angeles novella is set in Los Angeles, and in particular Hollywood during the early 1950's. I loved all the stories, but my favourite was The Bootlegger, and it clearly depicts how one man can influence another man’s grieving process. Tommy, the young banker and Mr. Fein the old man are put together side by side in the New York Metropolitan Theatre for concert performances, and what happens there changes Tommy's life forever. Following is an excerpt from this beautiful story:"Yes, the music was ascending, and we were ascending with it. First slowly, almost patiently, but then with greater speed and urgency, imagining now for every one instance, and now for another, that we have reached the plateau, only for the music to take us higher still, beyond the realm in which climbing can occur, beyond the realm, in which one looks down at the ground, beyond hope and aspiration into the realm of joy where all that is possible lies before us." The Bootlegger by Amor Towles.
It takes a great writer to write an unforgettable novel but it takes an even greater writer to craft a perfect short story. These six stories are each perfect in their own right. The story about Evelyn was enjoyable in its own right, and it is peopled with lots of familiar names from Old Hollywood. We see how Evelyn ended up in Hollywood when she was heading home to Chicago. We see how her quick thinking and indomitable spirit push the novella forward. The dialogue is succinct and descriptive, and the cadence of the story increases the sense of urgency. I can't recommend this book enough.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Doondeck
Wonderful short stories and a very old time Hollywood novella. A real delight
Awards
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — April 2024)
Pages
464
ISBN
0593296370 / 9780593296370
Similar in this library
Trust by Hernan Diaz