I am not a big reader of short stories. I have often attention span and therefore I prefer to focus on novels and long stories.
I was impatiently waiting for Nicole Krauss short stories debut: To be a Man. She is one of my favorite American authors and I am fascinated by her storytelling. No matter what, her stories cannot go wrong.
I had the book in audio format, in the reading of the author and this added an extra layer of excitement to my reading experience. To Be a Man includes ten stories, mostly with a Jewish background, unfolding in different part of the world but with references to Israel and America.
There are stories told by women about men: husbands, lovers, brothers, fathers, rabbis, children. The man, as a subject of study and analysis and introspection, which doesn´t happen too often literarily. For me, a very interesting topic to think and write about. There are stories of trauma, distorted or reshaped memories, stories of longing for a ´home´ and soul searching. Average topics of everyday life told in diamond-crafted stories that each and everyone can easily turn into a novel in itself. Which is a big achievement of the author but leaves the reader in a limbo of expectations and broken hopes.
My waiting for getting my hands - in this case, my ears - on the book was fully intellectually rewarding.
Rating: 4 stars
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