The Struggle for Happiness: Stories [Hardcover]

Ruthann Robson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2000

The Struggle for Happiness is a collection of loosely interwoven stories that explore the condition of a series of finely drawn characters and their various desires-desires for love, belonging, home, and happiness. Ranging in tone from utopian visions to stark realism and populated by a unique collection of women-from the guitarist whose supposedly dead lover turns up at one of her concerts, to the professor who has lost her ability to trust in anything; from the psychic at a popular gay resort, to the critic and would-be writer-the pieces in The Struggle for Happiness are sure to delight and astonish longtime fans of Ruthann Robson and new readers alike.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A new book by Ruthann Robson is always a cause for celebration. This latest offering is a collection of eight thoughtful, loosely linked stories, many drawing on Robson's experiences as a law professor and theorist. In "Black Squirrels," for instance, a disabled and displaced college professor plots ways to undermine the development of a shopping mall down the street from her rural home. The two best stories here are the deceptively simple "Review," in which an overly zealous young writer submits her first book review--a savage critique of a new novel by an established writer--and learns with horror that the novelist has killed herself soon after reading it, and "Death of the Subject," in which a psychic tries to help her cop girlfriend unravel a local crime (the title is a nod to postmodern theory that only makes sense in the last line of the story, like the kick in a Bloody Mary). The linking of stories in The Struggle for Happiness is superficial and perhaps unnecessary; the one truly compelling open-ended question ("Where Is Madame Karmakov?") is never answered, although we are teasingly offered a different Madame in a later story. Read these pieces in any order, and keep your eye on Madame. --Regina Marler

From Publishers Weekly

Searching for happiness while aiming for tenure and social justice, many of the characters in law professor, poet and novelist Robson's (Masks; A.K.A.) clumsily quirky second short story collection are lesbians in academia and/or legal professions. But they don't all face the same issues: some of the nine stories tackle the glamour of deconstructionist theory and PoMo politics, while others make pointed statements about disability, environmental concerns, the literary/publishing world and lesbian culture in general. One well-crafted piece is "re-view," in which a young aspiring novelist thrills at the chance of writing a review of a famous female author's disappointing new book. Just after the heroine's smug, cutting review hits print, the author commits suicide. A few tales venture into the lives of performers, to uneven effect. The story of a lesbian ballerina with hopes of dancing Giselle, "Pas de Deux" starts off with prickly, vague characters, but quickly warms up with some of the most surprising plot twists and poetic language in the book. "Women's Music" however, begins with the interesting premise of a female rock star within a feminist community, but turns clumsily elegiac along the way. When the stories seem off-balance, it's because Robson's characters and themes are heavy-handed, even self-righteous and abrasive. But the author does have a talent for structuring her language with a postmodern edge, and most of this collection's strength is derived from her verbal zip. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (April 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312252196
• ISBN-13: 978-0312252199
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,679,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another coup for Robson, June 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Struggle for Happiness: Stories (Hardcover)

Ruthann Robson is undoubtedly one of the most talented voices in contemporary lesbian fiction, and The Struggle for Happiness is, not surprisingly, wholly compelling from start to finish. As with her earlier works, I found it difficult to put the book down for even a moment. Robson fully fleshes out her characters in each tale; her protagonists' darker sides are exposed unflinchingly, resulting in a decidedly intriguing--and far from light-hearted--story collection. I was especially touched by "Pas de Deux" and "Women's Music," but do read the stories straight through from the beginning; you'll find interesting connections among discrete characters.