Customer Reviews

Strange Attractors: Stories (Contemporary American Fiction)

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What a insightful collection of short stories by one of my all-time favorite American authors! As a bonus I was also so surprised and happy to meet the characters from Goldstein's book "Mazel" again.

I read the entire collection in a couple of sittings, and I was amazed at the scope of themes included - even though they all deal with "being Jewish" in one way or a another.

As much as I like Goldstein's novels, I sincerely hope she will write more in this genre again as well.

Recommended!

This short story, The Editor's Story, renewed my love of reading. The author transported me back to 1907-1908, through a story told to supposed listener. The female author, Rebecca Goldstein, recounted the story of a male editor's evoking of the Modern Novel from the least expected author-to-beat-all authors... a timid female named E. A. Worthinghouse. Eugenia eludes description. However, she did herald the Modern Era, and she birthed female desire headfirst into the Modern Novel, through a sub-story known as "Antonia's Confession".

The Editor's Story embodies the evasive, the illusive and the deeply mysterious in a straight-forward, recounting-sort-of-way. The path of the story always leads back to Chimera, and E.A. Worthinghouse.

"I can't remember the last time I was so excited by a new work as I am by Chimera", I continued. "I was completely fascinated, overwhelmed-and not just a little bit appalled".

I haven't read anything else by Rebecca Goldstein, and I'm a little worried I've stumbled across a "one hit wonder". For the moment, I'm content to read The Editor's Story. Though I'd love to get my hands on Chimera.