Said Sayrafiezadeh's short story collection, American Estrangement, explores the experiences of alienation and identity in contemporary America. The storytelling is poignant and emotional, with just the right amount of sharp social commentary.

The stories in "American Estrangement" cover a wide range of landscapes and social settings. From the challenges faced by an unemployed man grappling with his self-worth, as well as the trials of immigrants striving for acceptance in a society that seems indifferent. At its core, each story revolves around the theme of searching for a sense of belonging.

So many excellent story collections out this year! And American Estrangement is one of them.

Each story is completely unique and touches on different subjects, but to me, “work” plays a major part in most of them—the kind of work you have to do to survive, the kind of work you’d rather not be doing, or the kind of work you expected to be different, to be better.

I can’t think of any other word but real to describe this book. There’s an easiness, an effortlessness to Sayrafiezadeh’s style that helps bring his stories to life, literally. Every single sentence is beautiful.

“The truth is I’ve spent today the way I’ve spent most days, sitting behind the front desk for nine hours, less one hour for lunch, engulfed in a sea of silence and serenity, waiting for something to happen, while I gaze into the middle distance of white walls hung with abstract expressionism.”

Aren’t we all just waiting for something to happen, at any given moment?

I enjoyed his writing a lot. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book, to anyone.

This is a collection of short stories that focus on young men who are treading water in their lives, dealing with entry-level jobs, mothers dying of cancer and a general inability to have things go smoothly. But Saïd Sayrafiezadeh also fills these stories with ordinary pleasures and glimpses of hope; a man remembers when his mother buys him a shirt at Goodwill that gives him credibility at his new school or a young man stuck in a dead end job meets a girl he likes. Sayrafiezadeh doesn't mind making the reader uncomfortable or uncertain. He's writing about the working class, the marginalized and the discontented. And the stories are quietly perfect, from the clear and unobtrusive writing, to the way the author creates vivid settings within a single paragraph. This book reminded me of why I love short stories so much, that when they are well-crafted, they contain entire lives in single moments.

Impressive stories that end with question marks rather than conclusions. There’s an air of futurism to some, issues of masculinity in many. Disquieting, savvy, compelling work.

Sayrafiezadeh is a talented writer, no doubt, and these are mostly good stories. If you're seeking stories that end all tied up in a neat bow look elsewhere. But I think a lot of literary fiction fans and serious readers will like this collection. It contains a variety of smart, creative stories with interesting, flawed, conflicted characters. Recommended for those seeking well-written short stories.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for an advance copy of this book. I chose American Estrangement because I haven't read many modern short stories and was curious about how I would like this genre. This book also got my attention because it seemed very contemporary and relevant during these emotionally difficult times. In the end, I liked several of the stories, but not all, which I assume is probably common amongst short story collections. Overall, the writing is terrific, the stories are creative, and the characters are compelling. However, I often felt myself wanting more. I think it was a shock to my system to deal with such abrupt endings where you are left to make sense of the characters and their choices without any closure whatsoever...or, occasionally, even a hint at where the story was headed. The 3 star rating is not a judgment of Said Sayrafiezadeh because he is an exceptional writer and storyteller. He succeeded in piquing my interest in short stories and kickstarting my desire to keep exploring other books in this genre.