Customer Reviews

Oh Don't You Cry for Me: Stories

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Shirley's work taps the essence of the ambiguity that infuses Southern life. The fear, strength, courage and cunning of his characters, especially the females, look back to a culture that survived "reconstruction", the depression and the Bible Belt. Survival becomes art-form.

Every town has a Robert Earl and a Lizzy. Every generation believes it is unique in its existential quest. But these stories prove true the "Al-Anon" slogan that "we are only as sick as our secrets."

I bought a second copy to donate to my local library.

That anyone living in the South undoubtedly knows, or has witnessed characters fitting the rich descriptions in this collection is understood. What may come as a surprise is the consistently artful twist in almost every one of the stories. Dark humor, tough compassion, and cutting to the bone honesty make this a mindful, satisfying read.

Philip Shirley has given voice to his characters as only a southern writer can do.I felt for the first time that the void left by the death of Larry Brown could be filled.

Once I finished the entire book, it was difficult not to thumb back through it, and remember each story, even recommending one for my husband to read later that night. The vivid descriptions throughout the story are incredibly real, and some of the details seem familiar. Certainly makes a nice gift for a best friend.

These short stories are very thought provoking and captivating. They leave you with a feeling of not wanting the story to end. Therefore, desiring to re-read story for more information. The readers second time through the story is even more enjoyable than the first.

Philip Shirley's characters are as real as the black sheep of your family and as unforgettable as your first kiss.

His tales stand up to the work of our best Southern storytellers. Here's hoping he has more to tell.

The stories are well written and move quickly, which makes you want to keep right on reading. Unfortunately there are probably more of these characters out there than we all realize, and that is what scares me.

In this collection of short stories and sketches, Philip Shirley reveals himself to be an important new voice in the literature of the Deep South. He is blessed with a finely-tuned ear for both dialog and dialect, and writes his narrative passages within himself, giving these stories both confidence and verve. One can only hope not merely for more stories but for Shirley to use his remarkable talent in a full-length novel.

This author is really something special. I felt the emotions of his characters and pictured the settings of his stories perfectly. It seemed that I had met these people before, but had no idea of where they were taking me until it was too late to turn back. Their intensity and love of life, even in the midst of challenges and obstacles that came their way, is inspiring. 'Oh, Don't You Cry for Me' is a perfect title for this selection of short fiction that sees these characters making their ways in the world, maybe not always with grace and poise, but straightforward nevertheless.

Beau Morgan

Shirley's true southern characters would all know that the plural possessive of Y'all is Y'alls's. I get them. They are us. He is us.