Maggie Shipstead

"In this collection of stories, Maggie Shipstead dives into eclectic and vivid settings, from an Olympic village to a deathbed in Paris to a Pacific atoll, and illuminating a cast of indelible characters, Shipstead traverses ordinary and unusual realities with cunning, compassion, and wit. In "Acknowledgments," a male novelist reminisces bitterly on the woman who inspired his first novel, attempting to make peace with his humiliations before the book goes to print. In "The Cowboy Tango," spanning decades in the open country of Montana, a triangle of love and self-preservation plays out among an aging rancher called the Otter, his nephew, and a young woman named Sammy who works the horses"--

Stories

You Have a Friend In 10A

Maggie

This is one of the most varied books of short stories I’ve ever read- which makes sense, as Shipstead wrote these stories over the course of 10 years. They’re all dark to some degree, and a few even veer into horror (La Moretta, The Great Central Pacific Guano Company). Her characters are often unlikeable- sometimes deliciously, like the narrator of “Acknowledgements,” a new author choosing who to thank in his book, revealing more of his narcissism with every page. Others were unlikable in a way that makes you want to look away, like the recovering former cult member who narrates the title story, You Have a Friend in 10A. Shipstead is a master of character and place.

I did find myself getting slogged down in the reading at times- there didn’t seem to be one thread holding the whole book together. The time was worth it in the end, as I liked each story as it’s own piece, separate of the collection. My favorite was the most earnest and the first in the book, The Cowboy Tango. It follows the staff of a dude ranch, most notably a lonely, tough young girl who comes to live and work there. It’s the perfect example of Shipstead’s ability to write all of her characters complexly, even if they’re otherwise easy to hate. I’d imagine most readers will have ups and downs reading this book, but you’ll probably come out with a few new favorites.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the digital copy for honest review!

You Have a Friend In 10A Stories

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