Customer Reviews

Wake

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

 

 

i enjoy collections of short stories. wake did not disappoint me. it provided varied and intriguing slices of life without the typical pollyannaish endings. what puzzles me is the reviews of this pittsburg reader - is there a personal grudge there? despite your claims of not knowing her, your comments seem oddly personal. i bought the book despite them & enjoyed it tremendously. i am looking forward to the next offering from beth goldner.

Despite the fact that certain readers might be inclined to project their own negative emotional issues onto this book, I think Beth Goldner's _Wake_ is one of the most readable collections of short stories that I've seen in quite a while. Like Ellen Gilchrist, Goldner is a true craftsman of the short story form. Her characters are complex and speak from an honest, practical perspective that is often missing in stories from the academic fiction mills (e.g., university literary journals, the New Yorker, and so on). The people Goldner portrays in _Wake_ may be controversial, but they're definitely not dull. And, for the record, I think there ought to be more authors out there like Goldner who are willing to be brutally honest without clouding their work with literary tricks designed to make them seem intellectual or arty.

Bold. Witty. Original. These are three reasons to read WAKE by Beth Goldner. I've never submitted an Amazon review before, but after reading this collection of short stories, I felt the need to post my first. Goldner doesn't give us any boringly perfect characters or prefab Hollywood endings. You'll find a lot of substance in her fresh stories and widely diverse selection of characters. I found this book hard to put down, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I found the stories to be witty, well-written and thought provoking. Some of subject matters make the reader uncomfortable, but the author handles them well. The stories are detailed and yet concise. This book was a good read!

After hearing that a novel by Beth Goldner would soon be available, I decided to re-read Wake. I was even more impressed with it the second time around. The diverse characters; well-developed, yet concise plots; and the wide-ranging subject matter and settings left me wanting more. After seeing what Ms. Goldner can do in just 20 pages, I can't wait to read her first novel...The Number We End Up With.

Hey, something new and different. I am not a short story reader at all. This book made me feel like I might just try this more often. As the world's most accomplished fearful flyer, I just felt right in there on Plan B. The other stories, edgy with feelings just shouting out everywhere. I really liked it. I do admit I want more. I want some of the stories to just go on. There is more there. Sorry Amazon and Ms. Goldner. I am sending my copy along to my daughter.

I purchased the book when it first came out wanting something new and different to read. (You know the kind where you can curl up in a chair with a cup of coffee and lose yourself to a good book). I had read all of the reviews, and since there were such different opinions about it, I just had to buy it. Beth Goldner has a personal style of writing, laced with a strong sense of creativity and a refreshing insight, I was doubly rewarded. Pollyanna-style writer she is not. All of her short story characters suffer or have suffered in their lives...all dealing with the everyday way of life and just trying to cope with the tragedies or tragedies they have experienced. She drags the not-so-pretty things in life and puts them up in proud display. But writes about it with an angle that makes the reader wonder what is going to happen and wanting more.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to more. My only complaint is that the short stories do not go on longer...I think a novel will be a triple pleasure. So buy the book and immerse yourself in a creative, intuitive, and defenitely a one of a kind book. Do not forget the coffee!!!

Let all aspiring authors rejoice: if Ms. Goldner can get published, you certainly can too!

The positive reviews here are clearly friends and family of the author because anyone who has ever read another printed word from any source would never consider this drivel worthy of publication. This material deserved less than a passing thought, and the author chose to (I use this term loosely) 'develop' it into a short story collection. She's either independently wealthy and this is an expression of vanity, or she's seriously delusional and should seek help immediately. Either way, save your money.

I got on a short story kick after reading Jhumpa Lahari. This definitely is not of that calibar. Better luck next time.

I read this book and thought it was terrible. Perhaps credit can be given for a first attempt at a published collection, but despite how bad this book was I urge anyone with a few extra dollars to buy it. Any author who has to sink so low to get ideas for writing is in obvious desparate need of both attention and validation. By purchasing her book you may help build her confidence to go beyond sanctimonious biography and into the real realms of fiction. Yeah it's a bad read, but think of it as a charitable gift to the starving and desparate arts community.