In this collection of short stories, originally published in 1974, Grace Paley "makes the novel as a form seem virtually redundant" (Angela Carter, London Review of Books). Her stories here capture "the itch of the city, love between parents and children" and "the cutting edge of combat" (Lis Harris, The New York Times Book Review). In this collection of seventeen stories, she creates a "solid and vital fictional world, cross-referenced and dense with life" (Walter Clemons, Newsweek).
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Editorial Reviews
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"Grace Paley makes me weep and laugh-and admire. She is that rare kind of writer, a natural, with a voice like no one else's: funny, sad, lean, modest, energetic, acute."—Susan Sontag
"Grace Paley is a wonderful writer and troublemaker. We are fortunate to have her in our country."—Donald Barthelme
"I can't think of another writer who captures the itch of the city, love between parents and children, or the cutting edge of combat, as well."—Lis Harris, The New York Times Book Review
"Technically, Grace Paley's work makes the novel as a form seem virtually redundant. Each one of her stories has more abundant inner life than most other people's novels . . . Her prose presents a series of miracles of poetic compression."—Angela Carter, London Review of Books
"A solid and vital fictional world, cross-referenced and dense with life."—Walter Clemons, Newsweek
"Grace Paley is a wonderful writer and troublemaker. We are fortunate to have her in our country."—Donald Barthelme
"I can't think of another writer who captures the itch of the city, love between parents and children, or the cutting edge of combat, as well."—Lis Harris, The New York Times Book Review
"Technically, Grace Paley's work makes the novel as a form seem virtually redundant. Each one of her stories has more abundant inner life than most other people's novels . . . Her prose presents a series of miracles of poetic compression."—Angela Carter, London Review of Books
"A solid and vital fictional world, cross-referenced and dense with life."—Walter Clemons, Newsweek
About the Author
Grace Paley remains one of America's most revered short story writers. Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1922, Paley established a reputation as a bard of Jewish New York with highly acclaimed collections like "The Little Disturbances of Man" (1959), "Enormous Changes at the Last Minute" (1974), and "Later the Same Day" (1985). Her most recent work, "The Collected Stories," was published in 1994 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extraordinary,
By A Customer
This review is from: Enormous Changes at the Last Minute: Stories (Paperback)
This is one of the best books of American short stories, period. Whether you sympathize with Paley's politics or social concerns, it's irrelevant. Her stories beautifully capture the minutiae of everyday life and expose it for it's life-changing import. A simple sentence of Paley's can say as much as another author's entire novel. If you're at all interested in the short-story form or good writing in general, don't pass this book up.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read, laugh, cry, rush onward,
This review is from: Enormous Changes at the Last Minute: Stories (Paperback)
Good writing is a book that you just can't put down. Crazy fantastic writing is a book that you close, bookmark in place, because you want to save more for later. And meanwhile go out and tell a friend, who asks the obvious question: why wasn't Paley much more well-known?
Not every one of these short stories is great, but all explode with amazingly evocative lines. Conversations sizzle, metaphors shimmer. Characters are immediately realistic, and whole. No, actually, many are broken, but that's what real people are like. Read, laugh, cry, rush onward.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a wonderful book,
By molly (san francisco, california) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Enormous Changes at the Last Minute: Stories (Paperback)
Grace Paley is one of my favorite writers in the world, and this is my favorite of all her books. Every story here is funny and original and gorgeously written. She's one of the wisest and most generous writers I've ever read, and I'd recommend this book to anyone.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
I saw my ex-husband in the street. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Grace Paley, Anna Marie, New York, Jerry Cook, Central Park, Anita Franklin, The Long-Distance Runner, Children of Judea, Lynn Ballard, June Braun, Junius Finn, The Little Girl, United States, Anna Kraat, Hudson River, Put Put, Steamy Lewis New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
I saw my ex-husband in the street. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Grace Paley, Anna Marie, New York, Jerry Cook, Central Park, Anita Franklin, The Long-Distance Runner, Children of Judea, Lynn Ballard, June Braun, Junius Finn, The Little Girl, United States, Anna Kraat, Hudson River, Put Put, Steamy Lewis New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
40
books
cite this book:
See all 40 books citing this book
- Jewish Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia, Vol. 2: M-Z on page 146, page 148, and Index
- Literature Lover's Book Of Lists : Serious Trivia for the Bibliophile by Judie L. H. Strouf on page 153, page 297, and page 335
- The Oxford Companion to Women's Writing in the United States by Cathy N. Davidson on page 437, page 441, and page 650
- The Literature Teacher's Book Of Lists (J-B Ed: Book of Lists) by Judie L. H. Strouf on page 138, and page 286
- The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction by Ann Charters on page 1176, and Back Matter
See all 40 books citing this book
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