Twin Study: Stories [Hardcover]

Stacey Richter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2007

Cavemen Roam The Suburbs, Morality is questionable, teens are angsting, and alcoholics abound. This is the world as Stacey Richter sees it. In spite of--or perhaps because of--this alarming cast of characters, Richter's stories are infused with wit, humor, and keen observations of what makes humans tick. There is no sentimental hand-wringing about alcoholic or absentee parents, lost loves, or the most terrible suburban neighborhood Christmas displays. Richter's characters live, exist, play, and often drink too much because that is simply what they do. Carrying on is the only option. Richter writes with volatile energy, hurtling through her stories while coasting seamlessly between the regular and mundane. She sees the repercussions of bad parenting, forgotten kids, and while she may scoff, her caustic observations never demean her characters. By turns heartbreaking, mirthful, sardonic, and wise, her stories occasionally take a turn into the bizarre. Still, Richter's flights of fancy are not about whimsy or science fiction. They are one imaginative woman's clever and naked view of the absurdities teeming around her.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Twelve bracingly imaginative tales from Richter (My Date with Satan) look at pairs of women (mostly) at various crisis points, small and large. The title tale follows an actualset of twins, two deeply conflicted 30-something women, who see each other for the first time in four years at a Cal State twin study. "The Long Hall" sets two rebellious daughters of a divorced alcoholic mother in Mormon Utah, where they must choose between their outrageous punk band and their growing desire to be with boys. In "Blackout," a student narrator on a spring break in Baja confesses to betraying a sorority acquaintance. "Duet" follows two gifted Juilliard musicians: one chooses marriage and mediocrity, and the other finds mastery as an artist. "The Cavemen in the Hedges" shows the sadly hilarious unraveling of an unmarried suburban couple when they come into contact, thrillingly, with a savage band of transient cavemen. Richter has a great feel for dialogue and conflict, extreme and otherwise (Mar.)
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From Booklist

Brainless clones, cavemen, dogs, sorority girls, rock-star mothers, and identical twins all find a place in this unique story collection by Pushcart Prize winner Richter (My Date with Satan, 1999). Twelve stories spotlight diverse characters in pairs, observing how they react to the (sometimes bizarre) world around them and each other. In "The Long Haul," aspiring punk-rock sisters struggle with adolescence under the judgmental gaze of their alcoholic mother. In the standout "The Cavemen in the Hedges," a suburban couple's long-term relationship suddenly turns conflictful when cavemen disrupt their lives. An elderly woman finds a younger companion in the quietly funny and introspective "Young People Today." The lovely finale, "Duets," follows two Juilliard students from the moment they meet to their ultimate division later in life, a story that is compelling without being melodramatic. Richter possesses a commanding grasp of narrative and human interaction, and a sharp ear for dialogue, allowing these tales to elevate beyond simply "unusual." The collection is witty, poignant, and admirably perceptive. Leah Strauss
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Counterpoint (March 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582433712
• ISBN-13: 978-1582433714
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,776,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overcome with glee., March 18, 2007

By 

Robrt Pela (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twin Study: Stories (Hardcover)

I enjoyed Stacey Richter's Twin Study so much that after I finished reading it, I rubbed the book all over my body. Then I ate it. The woman is a genius.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative and Moving, March 16, 2007

By 

Mom in Phoenix (Arizona) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Twin Study: Stories (Hardcover)

This is the second brilliant book of short stores by the Pushcart Prize winning author. The stories are incredibly imaginative and beautifully written. The subjects are unique, humorous and moving, with contemporary themes that get right to the heart of the matter. Most significantly to me, these stories are memorable -- they are powerful and poignant, and so unusual that you will remember them for years to come and pick up the book again and again and share it with your friends. Don't miss it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These stories are like creamy biscuits, July 1, 2007

By 

E. Horner "Ellie" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twin Study: Stories (Hardcover)

If you enjoy the wit and originality of contemporary authors like Budnitz, Bender and Burroughs then you'll not want to chow down on this delicious twelve pack of stories but rather covet like you would on "Friday only" dessert day. My favorite indulgence was "The Cavemen in the Hedges" because of it's smooth vanilla prose and fudgey irony. It was also coincidentally my twin sister's favorite story. We can't wait to read more from Stacey Richter, seriously we want to make a twin sandwich.