Millhauser is a genius at writing short fiction, and his gifts are on full display in several of these stories. It's almost impossible to read any of his collections and not come away with an image that will haunt you for days. ( )

Really, this collection of stories should not work. 1) Many are in a style that I can only describe as “Essays on things that have happened” (heck, the essay is hard to pull off when it is based on something real – how much harder when the writer is making it up), 2) many explore themes that have been mined to death in effective science fiction stories, and 3) many start so mundanely that the reader is tempted to think there will be nothing within.

Which just goes to show that Millhauser is a powerful and talented writer (and reminds all of us that any writing rule can be broken – but only if you really know what you’re doing.). There is not a story in here that did not leave me thinking – wondering about the insights I had just seen and also wondering how Millhauser took that simple subject and brought it new depth. 1) The “essay of what happened stories” (again, just a term I made up) could easily become nothing more than a dry recitation of facts built on an interesting theme. But Millhauser takes his kernel of an idea (the tower of Babel was real, a historical society that recognizes today as tomorrow’s history, an exact copy of a town) and, by reciting the facts of their development (the essay), leads us to a better understanding of how we react to real-world situations. 2) There is not a story here that would not be at home in an SF or Fantasy collection. The concepts are familiar. As one example, the great story by Ted Chiang – “Tower of Babylon” – posits that the Tower of Babel was real. The minute an author takes on a subject done so well by another author, they are facing a significant challenge. But these similar concepts are written to a different depth that, again, sheds new light on who people are and what they do. 3) Yes, it is easy to think these stories will go nowhere. But, within a few pages, you will find that you have moved into new and different territory. You won’t be able to say when it happened – you will just know you are there.

The perfect example of this is “The Dome”. In this short 8-page story, Milllhauser describes the history of how the fad of using domes to cover houses eventually spreads to towns, and to countries, and to the world. Standard SF fare and, in describing this as history through essay form, two strikes to completing a successful story. Yet, as he describes these changes, he describes the people that are making (and fighting) the changes. And he makes us ask questions about ourselves and what the domes really mean. Two strikes that lead to a home run.

They are all fabulous stories, each of which deserves a separate description and discussion, but I’ll only bring up one more – the first story “Cat ‘N’ Mouse”. As I’ve said, it is easy to dismiss these stories in the first chapter or two because you think you know where they are going. In this story, Millhauser seems to be doing nothing more than describing scenes from a Tom and Jerry cartoon. An interesting approach, but it feels like a writer’s exercise rather than a story. Soon, he starts to explore what is really going on with the cat and mouse and the reader thinks, “Okay, that is interesting”, but may not expect much more. Yet, at the end, the exploration is new, different, and worth every word.

I had never read Millhauser’s work before and did not know what to expect. I was surprised, thrilled, and sorry the journey ended. If his other works are anything close, it is no wonder he is a Pulitzer Prize winner. Jump in and enjoy this collection. ( )

Unusual points of view carry the reader on a riveting journey. ( )

Millhauser’s narrative style varies from documentarian to confessional, but each tale is recognizably his. He piques our curiosity without saturating his stories with symbolism or overburdening them with meaning. Dangerous Laughter is as deep as you want to make it.

Read the rest of the review. ( )

These stories are reminiscent of Ray Bradbury, Italo Calvino and Borges -- a bit too reminiscent. They are all quite enjoyable and written in simple, straightforward language that allows the reader to fill in the emotion. This is a great collection for a teenager with a taste for the surreal and fantastic. ( )