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Matthew Salesses
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I'm Not Saying, I'm Just Saying Paperback – February 17, 2013

by Matthew Salesses (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
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I’m Not Saying, I’m Just Saying, a novel in flash fiction, is a raw, honest look at parenting, commitment, morality, and the spaces that grow between and within us when we don’t know what to say. In these 115 titled chapters, a man, who learns he has a 5-year-old son, is caught between the life he knows and a life he may not yet be ready for. This is a book that tears down the boundaries in relationships, sentences, origin and identity, no matter how quickly its narrator tries to build them up.

“Matthew Salesses’ I’m Not Saying, I’m Not Saying is an absolute stunner of a novel. Told in short, sharp vignettes with prose that is taut, yet overflowing with meaning, this is the story of a year in the life of a complex and haunted, cobbled together family. The beauty of Salesses’ writing here lies in his fearlessness, the emotional blows to the heart and head and gut he’s willing to deliver, as if to say: This, this is life! And we are all, in one way or another, survivors.” -Kathy Fish, author of Together We Can Bury It

“Matthew Salesses has written an extraordinary and startlingly original novel that explores connection and disconnection, the claims and limitations of the self, and the shifting terrain of truth. Poetic, unforgettable, shot through with fury and yearning, I’m Not Saying, I’m Just Saying captures in clear and chilling flashes our capacity for the cruelty and tenderness of love.” -Catherine Chung, author of Forgotten Country

“In Matt Salesses’s smart novel-in-shorts, a newly-minted father flees telling his own story by any means necessary—by sarcasm, by denial, by playful and precise wordplay—rarely allowing space for his emerging feelings to linger. But the truth of who we might be is not so easily escaped, and it is in the accumulation of many such moments that our narrator, like us, is revealed: both the people we have been, and the better people we might be lucky enough to one day hope to become.” -Matt Bell, author of In the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods

“I’m Not Saying, I’m Just Saying renders the messiness of life, family, love in its myriad complex forms—romance lost and found, blood ties, squandered, unrequited—via 115 micro-stories that add up to a pointillist masterpiece.” -Marie Myung-Ok Lee, author of Somebody’s Daughter

“Through a series of provocative, beautiful, and at times, brutally raw shorts, Matthew Salesses creates a complex, vulnerable portrait of modern fatherhood and masculinity. Narrated by our seemingly reckless, yet hyper-observant narrator, these vignettes build with tension and trepidation, until we, like the members of this reluctant, fractured family, realize the weight, burden and comfort that only comes from finally belonging.” -Aimee Phan, author of The Reeducation of Cherry Truong

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  1. Print length
    138 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    February 17, 2013
  4. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.32 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1937865061
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1937865061
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In I'm Not Saying, I'm Just Saying, the nameless first-person narrator suddenly becomes a father to his five-year-old son, a previously unknown consequence of a one night stand, after the boy's mother dies. Through a string of separate but related stories that take place over the course of a year, the narrator struggles in this newfound relationship and every other relationship in his life. Comprised of 115 single-paragraph vignettes, the novel concisely captures the complexity of the human heart and delivers a moving tale of a father coming to terms with himself." -Gina Myers in Front Psych

"Not unlike burning through an entire season of some show available on Netflix because you are compelled so by the characters and by your own want, to know them, to understand them, to see how it all works out." - tinyprivatejet, via Land of Gazillion Adoptees

"I'm Not Saying, I'm Just Saying is about caring for others when you can't manage to care for yourself." - David Plick, Down and Out

"So bold and yet so intriguingly elusive." - Peter Tieryas Liu, HTMLGIANT

"Salesses is a practitioner of the art of flash fiction who created 115 short works that each have an interior narrative arc and also come together as a novel." - Celeste Sollod, Baltimore Style

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Civil Coping Mechanisms (February 17, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 138 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1937865061
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1937865061
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.32 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.5 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

About the author

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Matthew Salesses

Matthew Salesses

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Matthew Salesses was adopted from Korea. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller, THE HUNDRED-YEAR FLOOD, the national bestseller, CRAFT IN THE REAL WORLD, and the PEN/Faulkner Finalist DISAPPEAR DOPPELGÄNGER DISAPPEAR. His writing can be found in Best American Essays 2020, NPR, The New York Times, The Guardian, VICE.com, and many other publications. His previous books include I'M NOT SAYING, I'M JUST SAYING (a novel); DIFFERENT RACISMS: ON STEREOTYPES, THE INDIVIDUAL, AND ASIAN AMERICAN MASCULINITY (essays); and THE LAST REPATRIATE (a novella). In 2015, Buzzfeed named him one of 32 Essential Asian American Writers. He has taught for Tin House, Kundiman, and One Story, among others.

Customer reviews

3.5 out of 5 stars
46 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's writing style, with one noting its lyrical language and another describing it as simple yet complicated. The storytelling style receives positive feedback, with customers appreciating its flash fiction format.

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6 customers mention "Writing style"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it masterful, with one customer noting its lyrical language and another describing it as simple yet complicated.

"...I just really like Salesses' writing style. The Last Repatriate was definitely my favorite though; check it out if you haven't yet!" Read more

"...The writing style was very beautiful, it's flash fiction but it felt more like those free verse poems, I don't know what to call them, but they do..." Read more

"...The language is lyrical, turning on itself like a prism in light. So many different ways to read a line to make meaning one way or the other...." Read more

"...The world in this book is simple yet complicated, happy yet sad, infuriating yet understandable. A great work." Read more

5 customers mention "Storytelling style"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the storytelling style of the book, particularly its flash fiction format and poetic vignettes.

"...but it was more possible to have a discussion because of the Flash Fiction style...." Read more

"...The writing style was very beautiful, it's flash fiction but it felt more like those free verse poems, I don't know what to call them, but they do..." Read more

"...Short, poetic vignettes -- neither an extra word nor an extra syllable is used -- and yet Salesses paints pictures of homes, emotions and..." Read more

"The style of storytelling is captivating. Many pages are so dense you want to reread them" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • IAH
    5.0 out of 5 stars on sale for my Kindle and loved it. I then signed up for a writing ...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I randomly got the author's other book, The Last Repatriate, on sale for my Kindle and loved it. I then signed up for a writing workshop and found out the Matthew Salesses was leading it! He was a really cool guy and the workshop was really helpful. Since I loved his other book so much, I chose this book to read for my book club, thinking it would be something different since not that many people are familiar with Flash Fiction (this book is a series of Flash Fiction stories). Also, not everyone in my book club finishes the book so I thought this would be easy. Still not everyone finished it, but it was more possible to have a discussion because of the Flash Fiction style. I liked this book a lot even though I don't generally like short stories. I just really like Salesses' writing style. The Last Repatriate was definitely my favorite though; check it out if you haven't yet!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Xian Xian
    4.0 out of 5 stars not because I didn't like them, but because I never really knew much ...
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I never really read flash fiction, not because I didn't like them, but because I never really knew much about the genre, and never liked reading on the internet since a lot of it is published online. For those who are familiar with Nouvella authors, you would probably know who Matthew Salesses is. The extra S's in his last name is kind of scary, I keep feeling like I'm missing one.

    So the story of this novel is about a guy whose life gets flipped around, when a boy who claims that he is his son walks into his life. The son's mother was a woman he had a one night stand with, who recently passed away, hence is why the boy ends up looking for him. He seems to be an unfaithful man because he has affairs with other woman while he is in one relationship. All of the woman who he knew are called by their description and not by their names like 'the Asian girl', 'the white girl', and 'the wifely woman'.

    So the plot centers around the man's life on his decision, should he get rid of all the other woman and be a father, and keep his job that he probably hates. He always seems to be so confused of what to do, because he's so used to aimless deeds. He soon gives up everything just for the boy, whom he slowly grows affection for despite misunderstanding his odd behaviours and shares his culture with him, the father is an Korean American and the boy is half white and Korean, and seems to have no connection with his Korean culture. The man grows connected to the boy after spending more time with him.

    What is most intriguing about this book is the writing style, but that's mostly because I've never read flash fiction or even poetry that often. The writing style was very beautiful, it's flash fiction but it felt more like those free verse poems, I don't know what to call them, but they don't rhyme so I'm assuming that's what you call them. And, I don't know, I liked this book, it was really sad and amusing in some parts, I couldn't put it down. It's one of those books that are sad but they kind of give you hugs, because it's one of those books about life. Life sucks, but not all the time.

    Originally posted here: [...]
    2 people found this helpful
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  • K Ziminski
    3.0 out of 5 stars Different
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Each chapter is a short sketch of the life of a man whose little son moves in with him and his "wifely woman" after the boy's bio mother dies. No plot really. The man is not likeable. His girl friend doesn't seem real. The little boy was the only character in the book I cared about. I am a family therapist with many Asian clients, so that interested me, and it was one of those Kindle books on sale really cheap. Well, you get what you pay for.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Sylvia
    2.0 out of 5 stars Notes rather than a novel
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I was very disappointed with this novel(?). I am unfamiliar with this writer and will not bother again with him because I thought his writing lacked depth. The book/novel/note pad(?) was made up of short, sharp scenes in the daily life of a couple, who are not named, and the newly claimed infant son of the father from the father's point of view. I found this particular father's perspective shallow, ordinary and boring. I wished to find out more about the father's partner and his son. Not at all a satisfying read.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • StoneBarnReader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Saying Something Different Each Time
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Surprising and powerful, the story that unfolds in these short pieces challenges notions of parenting and partnerships, the definition of family and responsibility. There are uncomfortable moments throughout, an unease with the assumptions so easily made about ties that bring us together and keep us together. The sense of fragmentation in these short pieces only makes the reader work harder to understand what we bring to the page as readers as we try to make sense of this 'family' of the wifely woman, the boy, the narrator. The language is lyrical, turning on itself like a prism in light. So many different ways to read a line to make meaning one way or the other. I plan to reread it many times, gaining a different experience each time.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Janett
    1.0 out of 5 stars I continued through the book patiently waiting for it to ...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I continued through the book patiently waiting for it to "pick up." It never happened. I was in disbelief that I had read the last page still waiting for something to be said.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Brian P Gilman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I had never read a "flash novel" before; I'm going to keep reading them now. Short, poetic vignettes -- neither an extra word nor an extra syllable is used -- and yet Salesses paints pictures of homes, emotions and interactions that pop to life. The world in this book is simple yet complicated, happy yet sad, infuriating yet understandable. A great work.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • JulesyJul
    2.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your time
    Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This book had some great reviews, but I just can't get past the style of writing. It's like reading someone's post it notes of their thoughts just randomly put together. I really tried to read it but it made my head hurt - not good.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jim KABLE
    5.0 out of 5 stars Moments - Morsels - Snapshots of Time and Relations - Building.
    Reviewed in Australia on April 5, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Brilliance in increments - a spread-sheet of acceptance - steps forwards and back yet still advance - just like real life!

    Overcoming loss by death, taking on responsibility - growing up - all possible whether a child or already seemingly an adult. And how all is held together by the wifely woman! Lessons can be found - or not! Human beings can be slow learners - or not!
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  • buyer1000
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, powerful writing
    Reviewed in France on July 11, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I’m not usually a fan of short stories or flash fiction but I found this book to be beautifully written, powerful and compelling. It evokes strong feelings and manages to transmit pain and sorrow and a tinge of quiet desperation. You have to be in that certain mood to enjoy it but it is a masterful piece of writing by Matthew Salesses.
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