Peter M Barlow

This anthology of short stories might be considered interesting by some readers. It consists of 6 fairly quick reads, none of which are that bad. But because I read for useful information or to escape from the weariness of reality, these stories are not inspiring, educational, or all that enjoyable to read. I note that some reviewers found them forgettable, or less than memorable, but once I read further in their reviews, I did remember reading the stories, in particular "Liberty Bell," and "The Kiss," and why I had never gotten to the point of writing this review. Off the top of my head I cannot recall the term used in literary criticism to describe stories that are like real life in that they don't have clear endings but rather are more like vignettes that describe pieces of ongoing every day life. That is what these stories are - they are bits of pseudo-reality in which we readers don't get the kind of resolutions that we get from reading most fiction. So it can be depressing to read stories such as these, particularly in times such as these when things in reality are indeed falling apart. Just to be contrary, I think that these stories are not exactly forgettable - In some ways I think that they are more than a bit haunting, because they hit too close to home - the teacher tempted by the attractive student, the woman haunted by the almost lover who made her feel something, rather than the man she ultimately marries who doesn't seem to make her feel anything at all, and the town trying to create some energy to grow by building a "beautiful erection" (Barlow 7). But I have to admit that the one that will stay in my memory the longest, I am sure because it disturbs me the most, is "Commune Number Six." I suppose it is science fiction, the kind of science fiction that serves as a warning - if we don't watch out, and we keep on trying to serve the most common denominator, we will achieve the world of "Commune Number Six," which will hardly be an achievement.… (mehr)

I felt no need for a collection of stories about things falling apart, but here it is.

The stories in this book are pretty forgettable and I have, in fact, forgotten most of them.

What makes the book live is the two stories by Natasha Grinberg. "The Kiss" is about lovers who separate: one moves to the USA and prospers, one stays in Soviet Belarus and falls apart. Yes, but all is not ideal for the survivor in the States. Her story "Commune Number Six" is a fine, condensed story about the stifling tyranny of political correctness and majoritarian conformity. Better than most of what Vonnegut wrote on that topic.

I hope all these authors keep writing, but I most look forward to more stories from Ms. Grinberg.… (mehr)

With the exception of the very first story in the book, which was short, charming, and very funny, I found this small collection to be disappointing. This is a very small anthology (only 6 stories), yet the stories don't seem to hew very closely to the theme. Strangely, they also lack sufficient variety (of the six, three are, in one way or another, about Communism). It's almost as if, rather than requesting stories on a theme, the editor simply issued a call for stories of any kind, selected the six best of the twenty or so he received, and then tried to find something they had in common. (If that's the case, I would not like to read the fourteen stories he rejected.) Very disappointing.… (mehr)