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American Housewife: Stories (2016)

by Helen Ellis

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
6165338,432 (3.52)31
Fiction. Literature. Short Stories. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:A sharp, funny, delightfully unhinged collection of stories set in the dark world of domesticity, American Housewife features murderous ladies who lunch, celebrity treasure hunters, and the best bra fitter south of the Mason Dixon line.
Meet the women of American Housewife: they wear lipstick, pearls, and sunscreen, even when it's cloudy. They casserole. They pinwheel. They pump the salad spinner like it's a CPR dummy. And then they kill a party crasher, carefully stepping around the body to pull cookies out of the oven. These twelve irresistible stories take us from a haunted prewar Manhattan apartment building to the set of a rigged reality television show, from the unique initiation ritual of a book club to the getaway car of a pageant princess on the lam, from the gallery opening of a tinfoil artist to the fitting room of a legendary lingerie shop. Vicious, fresh, and nutty as a poisoned Goo Goo Cluster, American Housewife is an uproarious, pointed commentary on womanhood.
… (more)
  1. 00
    Happy Are the Happy by Yasmina Reza (BookshelfMonstrosity)
    BookshelfMonstrosity: Despite the dark subjects of loneliness, despair, and sorrow covered in these short story collections, the overall effect of the satirical wit is humorous. Readers may easily relate to the character-driven vignettes, which focus on common emotional terrain.… (more)
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» See also 31 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 52 (next | show all)
I found this title on a list of great short books and was intrigued by the premise. The stories were interesting and dark and mostly funny. I was left just slightly less than fully satisfied, though, because I really wanted all the stories to be tied together and I was searching for a deeper connection among them than there actually was. For me, this would’ve made it even better. ( )
  jnoshields | Apr 10, 2024 |
Some quite witty snippets. ( )
  bookem | Mar 27, 2024 |
This book of stories is a quick read - I finished it in one day at the beach that also involved a lot of chatting and snorkeling and a sit down meal.

The stories go by fast and most (but not all) have a bit of a sinister twist/undertone while also managing tone funny.
( )
  hmonkeyreads | Jan 25, 2024 |
I'm not normally an essay collection reader but these were pretty snarky and funny for a quick between serious stuff laugh ( )
  hellokirsti | Jan 3, 2024 |
Anyone want to rearrange furniture like Neanderthals together as we stallion-walk through life?

Let me preface this by saying I am not a housewife; or a wife for that matter. In the sage words of Tetley from Garbagetown (The Past is Red) "Why do we have to get married? Can't we just be trash together forever?" But still, marriage does hold me in a fascinated trance when I start reading romance books where a Dragon marries a cinnamon-farming human named, well ... Cinnamon or a Grey Wraith-Vampire-like creature with yellow orbs for eyes marries a Human with red hair and a "parasitic gaze" and they get to the business of living their lives together. So, when this book popped up on my feed I had to get it.

Also, now I know what the hell Wainscoting is. I too would go to a wainscoting war.
For or against - I haven't decided yet.

*******************************************************************************************************
Review Breakdown: solid 4

General Plot: I love that this feels like a stream of consciousness in a language that is beyond English. Like - you get it on even a primal level. It just makes sense.
Characters: Let me tell you I cackled at that whole email exchange. Gail Montgomery insists on calling Ms (read: Mizzz with hostility) Chastain-Peters with all the disdain of a cat watching a bird live. And then it escalated.
Style/Grammar: So relatable and I'm not even a housewife. See I like an author who can reel you in and baamboozle you into thinking you know what they mean in that wise communal way.
Overall Flow: This book went places I never saw coming. I mean : Dumpster Diving With The Stars" WTH was that. Gold is what it was.
Quotes: I knew this was going to be hilarious when she opened with "Inspired by Beyonce, I stallion-walk to the toaster"
Hmm, okay, I want to stallion-walk to my kitchen and grab a bag of chips right now.
Memorable Scene: that whole Dumpster Diving With The Stars mess.

StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Books ( )
  RoadtripReader | Aug 24, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 52 (next | show all)
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Epigraph
And I'm giving you a longing look 
Everyday, everyday, everyday I write the book.

-Elvis Costello
Dedication
For Ann Napolitano and Hannah Tinti, great writers and friends
First words
Inspired by Beyoncé, I stallion-walk to the toaster. I show my husband a burnt spot that looks like the island where we honeymooned, kiss him good-bye, and tell him what time to be home for our party.
Quotations
Compliment everyone. Take a compliment. Wear sunscreen on your face and hands even when it's cloudy. Dye your gray hair black, brown or blond. Run the dishwasher half full. Have company over and serve what you want to eat. When a guest says your meat loaf looks like a football, don't tell the woman that her husband is obviously gay.
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Fiction. Literature. Short Stories. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:A sharp, funny, delightfully unhinged collection of stories set in the dark world of domesticity, American Housewife features murderous ladies who lunch, celebrity treasure hunters, and the best bra fitter south of the Mason Dixon line.
Meet the women of American Housewife: they wear lipstick, pearls, and sunscreen, even when it's cloudy. They casserole. They pinwheel. They pump the salad spinner like it's a CPR dummy. And then they kill a party crasher, carefully stepping around the body to pull cookies out of the oven. These twelve irresistible stories take us from a haunted prewar Manhattan apartment building to the set of a rigged reality television show, from the unique initiation ritual of a book club to the getaway car of a pageant princess on the lam, from the gallery opening of a tinfoil artist to the fitting room of a legendary lingerie shop. Vicious, fresh, and nutty as a poisoned Goo Goo Cluster, American Housewife is an uproarious, pointed commentary on womanhood.

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