Model World and Other Stories [Paperback]

Michael Chabon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1992

From the wondrously talented author of The mysteries of Pittsburgh and Wonder Boys comes a magnificent collection of ironic, understated tales that confirm his reputation as "the young star of American letters." -- Washington Post Book World. Here are eleven superb stories about growing up and growing wise -- stories in which people attempt to create and inhabit their own model worlds, only to watch them collapse in the face of the real world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chabon, acclaimed author of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh , offers a collection of understated, ironic tales about people seeking acceptance. Nine of the stories first appeared in the New Yorker.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Originally published in The New Yorker and other magazines, these short stories are delightful in their portrayal of characters, the light irony of the situations, and the flow of the sentences. Chabon deftly paints humorously odd people floundering for fulfillment. In the first part, readers glide into a kaleidoscope of worlds--a Jewish wedding in Los Angeles; Laguna Beach with an estranged couple; Paris with an American do-gooder; Pittsburgh with a down-and-out baseball catcher, a disc jockey, and a blundering toy maker; and finally duplicity in academe. Chabon's stories will captivate creative writing students, students of literature, and casual readers alike. --Susan Callahan, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (March 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380710994
• ISBN-13: 978-0380710997
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,339,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Chabon is the bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, A Model World, Wonder Boys, Werewolves in Their Youth, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, The Final Solution, The Yiddish Policemen's Union, Maps and Legends, Gentlemen of the Road, and the middle grade book Summerland.

He lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife, the novelist Ayelet Waldman, and their children. You can visit Michael online at www.michaelchabon.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative and exciting short fiction..., April 20, 1999

By 

Jason Stewart "claddagh37" (Petaluma, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Model World and Other Stories (Paperback)

When I first came across this book in it's initial paperback printing, I was excited by his blend of outrageous humor and insightful prose. Especially hilarious is the story about two friends, one of whom plays with things for a living. He looks for the "intrinsic ludic value" of ordinary household items, or rather, would they make good toys. He had one relationship end because of the natural similarities between the shape of a flying saucer and the shape of a birth control pill dispenser. On a whole, it reminded me of Raymond Carver but without the suicidal tendencies. More mature (but not as funny) as his wonderful first novel _The Mysteries of Pittsburgh_, I am looking forward to his next volume of short fiction as it seems to me that the short story is his true gift.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Follows Me, July 21, 2000

By 

Patrick F Clifford - See all my reviews

This review is from: Model World and Other Stories (Paperback)

Sometimes I read reviews of records, etc. where the reviewer states, before anything else, that they shouldn't be reviewing the record, etc. because they're too close to it. I try to avoid writing anything about the records, books, etc. that I really love, since I can't be objective.

This is probably my favorite collection of short stories. My copy has been following me around since it came out and I have read and re-read every line of this thing many, many times. The Nathan Shapiro stories are so carefully written; each sentence seems constructed, each word perfectly placed. These stories are too accurate, too true to be sentimental. Art. This stuff is art.

I have a difficult time believing that everyone doesn't already have a copy of this. I'd recommend this collection to anyone, escpecially those who are familiar with Ethan Canin, Thom Jones (although Jones may seem a little "tougher"), and (maybe) late Richard Ford.

The modern sentence as art.

Objective? No. Not at all.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic read!, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Model World and Other Stories (Paperback)

Chabon is amazing. His metaphors are more than literal - they give yout the ability to conjure up thoughts and ideas you didn't know you had. Impossible to put down, I give this book 5+ stars.