Lydia Davis is to short stories as Barbara Kruger is to collage, ok? And while I would give Kruger five stars for all kinds of things, like breaking new ground in the museum art world, I would give Lydia Davis five stars just for being enjoyable. I like, also, how her style is so like dated to the 80s po-mo, even when it's written in more recent years. Does that sound barbed? Well, that's now how I meant it, because when I say that what I mean is that it makes me feel cozy and sweet because it's of the same cut as the "grown up" stuff I was endlessly curious and intrigued by in my early teen years.And finally, this note on this book would be incomplete with out mention of the two-pager attributed to Flaubert, but so clearly influenced by Willa Cather. I'm really not sure what to think about this book. This isn't my first exposure to Lydia Davis--I've read some of her short stories before and am familiar with her French translation work. There were lots of stories in this collection that were fantastic and poignant. There were also lots of stories in this collection that I just felt "meh" about. These stories often felt random and didn't seem to go anywhere. That said, Lydia Davis is one hell of a writer. Her prose and style is unmatched and full of clarity. Her very short stories are often the most reflective out of the collection. I love the way that she can say so much with so little.
Do You like book De Taal Van Dingen In Huis (2014)?
It didn't blow me away. I mean it did, but in between those parts there were parts that didn't.
—forestman11
ANSWER: "Can't and Won't"QUESTION: Will I read another book of "stories" by Lydia Davis?
—anacrisk
