Blink and it's done. Remarkable example of storytelling that is way outside the normal boundaries for fiction. Given the form, the story itself couldn't be more mundane. Given that the whole point of the exercise should be "show, don't tell", there was a little too much "tell" with whole emails reproduced and the couple's prolific marginalia.

Still, an exciting way to tell the tale that succeeds more than it doesn't ( )

This book was a disappointment. A story told through an auction catalogue sounded promising but in the event the conceit of the catalogue wasn't fully exploited. Indeed, items like these aren't usually auctioned except, very occasionally, in lots and the story itself was a bog-standard one.

The tale would far better have been told in a short story, given that Shapton relies upon awkward contrivances like letters found in books, notes scribbled on theatre programmes, and photos of the couple.It's through these and not through the belongings themselves that what story there is is told. Once or twice Shapton begins to make good use of her framework: a catalogue description notes that the backgammon board is charred, but rather than hinting why the game is damaged she immediately moves from this to yet another note from Morris to Doolan, this one telling us how it was burned. A clever writer would have depicted Morris's travels, Doolan's hot temper, and the pair's tiffs and reconciliations through the lots themselves. The book does have one glint of humor: a photo of salt and pepper shakers in the form of rather seal-headed dachshunds: One shudders with glee..

(A few months after reading Important Artifacts I read a story of a successful though not quite high-flying businessman whose downfall leads to a violent death. It wasn't subtle--but neither is Shapton's story--and it was told in a sequence of sixteen till receipts shown without comment. So this sort of thing can be done and it's too bad that Shapton hadn't the wit try to do it.)

What at first glance looks like an auction catalog of bits and pieces of a person's life in essence tracks an intimate relationship from beginning to end over the course of several years. A clever and striking format that has a way of feeling very poignant and very familiar. Unforgettable. SRH ( )

What at first glance looks like an auction catalog of bits and pieces of a person's life in essence tracks an intimate relationship from beginning to end over the course of several years. A clever and striking format that has a way of feeling very poignant and very familiar. Unforgettable. ( )

The title is very nearly as long as the book; at 129 pages the volume barely makes it to book length. It’s constructed uniquely: it’s an auction catalog for the possessions of a couple, Lenore and Harold. She’s in her 20s, he’s in his 30s. They are hipsters who dress in vintage clothing and use precious vintage accessories. He’s a photographer, she’s a food columnist. We find that he considers his work art and very important and serious, while he considers her writing silly and unimportant. Through the book we see the couple get together, live together for a while, and fall apart. The author does this through not just their objects but through notes; him to her, her to him, her to her sister. Very short, spare notes, but still, they manage to convey the story. You wouldn’t think you could connect to a character with that few words, but I did find myself feeling a little sorry for Lenore.

It’s kind of a fun book to go through. This length is probably all that the format could sustain; it’s not a format for nuance and depth. I enjoyed it, but I’m glad I didn’t buy it but read the library copy. ( )