Objects of Desire: Stories

I received a copy of this ebook as part of LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

As with most short story collections, some stories worked better for me than others, but the overall quality here is consistently strong.

Price has a talent for taking ordinary desires, frustrations, and obsessions and following them just far enough to reveal something uncomfortable or unexpected. The stories are concise and engaging, making this an easy collection to read either in large chunks or one story at a time over a longer period.

I was particularly impressed by the title story, "Objects of Desire." At only a couple of paragraphs (and not even particularly bulky ones), it demonstrates just how much can be accomplished in a very small space. Despite its show more brevity, it felt complete, memorable, and emotionally satisfying.

A thoughtful and well-written collection that understands the power of leaving the reader wanting just a little more. show less

Short story collection. Many concern either a teacher of writing or an author [or wannabe]. Common theme of each is a desire of the main character and unintended consequences that arise from trying to attain it. Each story kept me engrossed. Some endings were surprising. My favorite stories were "Going Underground", "Objects of desire" and "A Natural Man" The author showed a flair for character development, atmosphere, mood, and vivid word-painting. Perhaps he used some of his own experiences; I feel he knew how to get into the mind of a writing teacher or author.

This collection of short stories has a theme running through it about writing, trying to write, failing to write, teaching writing and plagiarising other people's writing. It makes sense that this is a beautifully written book whose stories have a depth not normally seen in short stories.

This is a great book and I enjoyed reading it a lot.