Cowboys Are My Weakness: Stories

Whoever pushed this cover art is an asshole. These stories aren't smut or fluff -- they're visceral, which is so much better. Well, once you move past the dog chained out in the cold in the first one.

These 12 stories deal with relationships, independence and the outdoors. The women all seem to want to find and hang on to a man who is a self absorbed adventurer/cowboy. They in turn follow, suffer and try to make themselves what they feel he wants, but in the end must realize their own self worth often in the guise of moving on. I had trouble relating to these women although many I found strong and admired their willingness to explore an uncommon life. I did not find the stories funny as others did, but found some hopeful and others eye-openers for their characters. Good writing but not my cup of tea.

This has always been one of my favorite books by Pam Houston. The stories are so well crafted and merge so many human emotions that none of them fall short. She brings us the bonds between animals and humans in touching, often funny, and never less than poignant ways. The last story, a story of friendship and love between two women and saying goodbye to that friendship is worth reading the whole book for. I swept the gamut of emotions with this one, from laughter to tears.

I really liked this collection of short stories. Houston's writing was excellent. Her characters were very interesting and I just sort of liked them and really understood their thoughts and feelings.

An excellent collection of short fiction featuring strong women characters with a weakness for untamed, untameable men. Houston's writing is intelligent and insightful, as she explores the complexities of our relationships with a depth beyond chick lit or women's fiction. Two stories are written with second-person narrative, which is a rare and delightful treat. Overall, a great read.

Check out my full review at The Book Lady's Blog .

If I read these years back, I forgot. If I read these and forgot, maybe early-stage Alzheimer's is a possibility, because these stories are - each one of them - truly unforgettable. Houston captures the vagaries of modern womens' hearts perfectly. Sorry I'm not being more specific in my praise. Just go read these, please.

Similar in theme and tone to her book of linked short stories ("shnovel") Waltzing the Cat, this first book of short stories by Pam Houston suffers a little by comparison. The protagonists of these stories share interests and problems, so that the reader naturally tries to form a narrative. But they are not all the same woman, not living the same life, so that quest for underlying meaning is a little frustrating. The voice is (of course) strong, and the stories vary pleasantly in size and structure. As usual, Pam Houston brings the details of experiences few readers have lived vividly to the page.