Customer Reviews

Pieces for the Left Hand

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Having read all of Lennon's novels I knew I would enjoy this collection. However, I wasn't prepared for the uniqueness of the ride....small tales of big issues, small issues, no issues at all but there is something about them that rings true. A great book to read aloud in bed with your favorite human.

This is a collection of 100 well-written, super-short (2-3 pages) stories told from the point of view of a single narrator. Although the narrator himself is only a character in some of the stories, we get a good feel for his quirky observations about the world around him. Many of the stories are hearsay, starting off "A friend of ours knows someone..." or "There is a man who lives in town who..." They're the sort of weird human interest stories you might find in the back of a small town newspaper, though much more engaging and insightful. Each has a moral, or ironic twist, or mystery--something that's thought-provoking and makes you want to pass on, as if it's a true story you heard. And the whole collection holds together very well, creating a sort of rhythm that carries you through and leaves you wishing there were 100 more.

I read eight of these gems in The Best American Short Stories of 2005. They are brilliant and at times hilarious vignettes, incisive snapshots of human nature. I can't wait to read the remaining 92!

I first read a few of these super-short shorts when it was excerpted in one of the Best American Short Stories anthologies. I was crushed when I found out that it was of print, but was very happy to find it through Amazon. For anybody that likes odd, deja vu-ish stories, this is a winner. Most of the stories are fun to reflect on, and leave an fun twisty feeling in both your head and your stomach with their bizarre coincidences and strange happenings. This strange little book has moved onto the list of my top 10 favorite books of all time.