Amazing Things Are Happening Here: Stories

Jacob Appel is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors anywhere. I have had the pleasure now of reading a few collections of his short stories and he continually astounds me with his ability to convey human emotions and feelings in such a way that the characters and the stories hold fast with you long after you have finished reading them. He has the ability to create a world you are sucked into and aren't fully willing to leave, even in the short span of 15-20 pages. A brilliant craftsman with stunningly rich characters weaved into tapestries of what could easily be the life of your next door neighbor, I anxiously await any forthcoming work from this outstanding writer.

I love short stories, and Mr. Appel is a master of concise tales! I’m not often surprised at the conclusion of stories, but was more than once in this collection. Thank you for continuing to deliver interesting, eclectic, and surprising tales for us to enjoy! I look forward to my next adventure at your hands!

Amazing Things Are Happening Here is a well crafted collection of eight short stories by Jacob M. Appel. Within these stories is a diverse group of characters with distinctive voices. Readers meet a judge who married the younger sister of a girl he once loved and who had been murdered, a woman whose husband with dementia wants to marry someone else and the young man who falls in love with the victim of an alligator rodeo. Each story is engrossing enough to be developed into a novel. The author has the remarkable ability to bring the characters vividly to life. Their fictional worlds become very real. The collection takes readers down a path towards different types of human nature. The narratives are punctuated with sharp observations, show more solid prose and depth. This collection is fiction at its best. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. show less

I am reading everything I can find by this author. He is very talented and I so enjoy reading his books - whether they be novels, short stories, poetry. Once again, this is another of his great books. It is captivating short stories. The topics are very thought provoking and really keep you thinking about things after you have finished reading the book. My favorite short story in this book was probably Bigamist's Accomplice - making you look through the eyes of someone with dementia and the family who is supporting their loved one. Thank you for another great book!

I received this book in a LibraryThing giveaway direct from the author in exchange for a review. The collection of short stories set in Rhode Island and Florida stars a unique cast of characters with their flaws fully on display living out a variety of complex and often poor choices. From awkward first teen love to the pain of watching a spouse with dementia, from heroism to murder, unrequited feelings, jealousy, and the dangers of getting what you want, Appel touches on the full spectrum of the human experience, making it both hard to root for any particular protagonist or put the book down.

Another excellent set of stories from this author. This collection in particular was very good, and I enjoyed that the point-of-view characters were varied and interesting.

I got this from a librarything giveaway. I've read Appel before, and enjoy his characters and imagination. This book was different. There were a few stories that left me scratching my head. 3.5 stars