The Dog of the Marriage: The Collected Short Stories

Once again Amy Hempel complies a collection that is wrenching and provides this tumbling out of action, conflict and emotion. Particularly in the short, confessional "Reference #388475848-5" a letter to the New York parking authority that starts out normal enough for the form of a letter but proceeds to get more and more involved in the narrator's life. By the end you're left stunned and a bit shaky. I've realized one aspect of Hempel's work I truly enjoy is the backward gaze of the narrator in most of these stories and however fragmented they get it's the fact that these memories are the ones remembered that tinge them with poignant beauty. This is my second favorite collection after "Reasons to Live."

A fine collection of stories, with lots of depth and texture. She has a lovely perceptive eye, and the details are honest and clear; sometimes she hits you with a simple sentence observation that cuts right to the heart of something you'd vaguely thought of but never been able to articulate clearly. It was a slow read - you need time to digest the stories and think about them, rather than racing through. I want to re-read this, as there's so much to explore.

The Dog of the Marriage: Stories I read this while on holiday and cannot recall a single thing about it. Come to think of it I cannot remember the holiday either

Mostly annoying
one whining voice, walking dogs
I'd divorce them all.

Can't believe this is my first reading of Hempel but looking forward to more!