Show but tell us everything

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Show Don't Tell

Curtis Sittenfeld

Paperback, First published 25 February 2025

Sittenfeld's Show Dont Tell, takes an ordinary life and makes it extraordinary. You know these people, you have neighbours like them and you don't think that their lives are complicated but Sittenfeld makes you realise the depth and complexity of their lives. Each of the twelve stories, reveals a cross road of sorts for the characters, where they are ruminating about their next move or a previous decision and it's outcome.

I did think about going through each of the stories and providing a mini review. Then I thought, nah, because what I enjoyed was the transition from one story to the next. The not knowing where you were going next was part of the journey. Having said that, there were a couple of stand outs for me. The Hug – a couple having a discussion about whether she should hug an ex-partner or not. Where the conversation takes them is just marvelous. The Patron Saints of Middle Age – how being fixated on leaving an item buried in the front yard of a property you have recently sold can cause a crisis. The Marriage Clock, I found to be really clever.

Sittenfeld's writing is insightful, funny and biting. Each of the characters are unique and not all are pleasant. Sittenfeld takes a small thing and builds a complex and engaging narrative that you lose yourself in. It is a masterclass in short story writing and I hope Sittenfeld publishes more.

For more about the wonderful writing of Curtis Sittenfeld head over to their website. 

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