Customer Reviews

Final Vinyl Days: And Other Stories

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love short stories, and I really enjoyed Jill McCorkle's "Crash Diet", as well as her first novel "The Cheerleader". But "Final Vinyl Days", a collection of stories mostly about unhappy/problematic people who either rationalize or realize that their life isn't so bad (that seems to be the universal plot), doesn't live up to those two other books. Her characters don't have the energy her older characters used to have. And several of them tend to reminisce about their past too much -- it's one digression after another and the stories slowly move. There isn't enough variation among the characters/stories either, they all seem to be written in very similar tones/moods/personalities. This isn't one of her works that I would recommend buying.

However, one of her best stories (in my opinion) is in this book, "Life Prerecorded". It is realistic, doesn't depend on weird circumstances to make a plot, and is full of insight (also appears in "Writer's Harvest2" which is a better buy, I think). A good interview with McCorkle also appears at the end of "Final Vinyl Days".

Having been a fan of McCorkle's writing since July 7th, I found this collection just a bit disappointing overall although there were some excellent stories (Final Vinyl Days, Your Husband is Cheating on Us, It's a Funeral, RSVP). Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that in her novels, the quirky characters have a chance to be fleshed out more and grow on us. In a short story, sometimes these odd characters sound gimmicky and 2 dimensional. Still, there are several scenes that will make you laugh out loud and some characters are very well sketched. Overall, these stories are solid, but if you have not read anything by McCorkle before, it may be better to start with July 7th and then try some of her short stories.

When I first encountered Jill McCorkle's writing, the depth and humor of her characters struck me. However, after reading all of her novels and this, her second book of short stories, I am struck by how the same "quirky" people keep popping up in different disguises. Surely someone with an imagination as vivid as McCorkle doesn't need to recycle her characters and can give us something more interesting than these caricatures? I am very disappointed, and hope that these past two works of McCorkle's don't represent a trend.

Beware! Reading this book will cause you to laugh aloud, possibly causing those with whom you live to question your sanity. Such stories as "Your Husband is Cheating on Us" and the book's namesake, "Final Vinyl Days" show the author's ability to remind the reader of places, events, or people they've known. Her delightful sense of humor can brighten up the more sadder portions, giving the reader a sense of well-being and ownership of the story. This book is truly a slice of life which makes for delicious reading.

What I found most interesting about this author was her writing voice. It was free-flowing and uninhibited, perfectly suited to characters whose lives are consistent with an unpredictable world. McCorkle draws on a variety of settings and lifestyles. After reading a published piece elsewhere, I tracked down this book, whose catchy, 1950s style cover made me think I would be transported to another era...not so. There was no over-arching theme, each story was crafted as a stand-alone. I did not like the first two and almost stopped reading, but once I moved past them, I was drawn in by the audacious directness of the narrators. The stories are focused on the quirky, dyfunctional side of life and lets us into the heads of those who either seem to feel perfectly comfortable in that world, or get dumped there by circumstance. A few engender serious sympathy, others come out looking like losers. McCorkle's characters spill out information in a bantering rhythm that resembles the lilt of coveted gossip passed between co-conspirators. By employing a first person narrator, (which makes the storyteller a character), the writer needs to keep the language appropriate and therefore, not literary. I found that a drawback.

First time reading Ms. McCorkle, but it won't be the last. Enjoyed a story or two at a sitting and found that I wanted to slow down and re-read as I passed oh so quickly through this neat collection of startling vignettes. Each portrait drawn was of a memorable character or two and they were not always (gasp)lovable. Then I had to go back to the beginning and revisit each story. Give me more, I really enjoyed these stories, especially the woman with the new career in funerals! My single complaint is that the collection is too brief, yet that is what piqued my initial interest (a handful of a book-let!)

I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. The first story is the best by far, and it lured me into buying the book. But as I read on I was disappointed to find that every story sounded alike. I felt tormented and wanted to shred the book. The effect was sloppy and BORING.

Every once in a while I find a short story collection that totally entrances me--this is one of them. I read one story a day for about a week, so as to be able to spread out my pleasure.

McCorkle has such a wonderful and clever way with words, and has great insight into the human condition. I felt as if I knew these people she was writing about!

I especially liked "Your Husband Is Cheating On Us", a very clever monlogue. The mistress's humor is so natural and honest.

I think short stories are very difficult to write as the author has to accomplish so much with so few words. McCorkle is able to do this with seeming effortlessness.

OK, I'll totally admit that I kept picking this book off the shelf at the library due to the jacket and title. It wasn't until I read the title story in the "It's Only Rock and Roll" anthology that I was encouraged enough to check this collection of short stories out. It's good writing, and she's definitely adept at the short form. My three favorite stories are "Paradise," "Last Request," and "Your Husband Is Cheating On Us."

The only criticism I have of this book was that each story was not turned into a novel, as I did not want to leave the characters as each story ended. As I read this book on the beach, I found my mother giving me strange looks. Turns out, I was laughing out loud. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading passages aloud to her. Maybe it is because I am southern, but I can always relate to McCorkles characters. I am bound to find one of my friends or relatives in her work. I think this is some of her best work to date, and I look forward to more!