This is a selection of well written stories, all of which bear the distinctive Millhauser imprint. There are some fine lines, a few well-conceived set pieces, a fair share of perceptive and insightful observations, and occasionally a lean and edgy narrative drive. That said, try as I might I found neither the characters, nor their situations, nor the overall thrust of the stories engaging enough to arouse or hold my curiosity and attention. Apart from two or three stories that broke new ground, most of the stories followed a similar structure, with similar surreal centerpieces around which whimsical narratives could be constructed. Each story would probably be quite satisfying if encountered alone, say in a magazine or a general anthology. But when collected in one book the similarities became so obvious as to be distracting. As a consequence, it doesn't seem fair to write much more of a review, apart from encouraging inquisitive readers, especially those unfamiliar with Millhauser, to give the book a try.

This is a collection of odd, often surrealistic, short stories. I was new to this author, so I wasn’t expecting that. Several of the stories follow a similar pattern. In a seemingly ordinary small town an odd feature exists - some people choose to live atop columns, a group of citizens are only several inches tall, ladders are everywhere, lawn treatment becomes an obsessive trend, etc. some of the stories are befuddling. I particularly enjoyed the one about the Pied Piper and I wasn’t crazy about the one about the small people (I had actually read that one before and I didn’t like it then either). The book certainly held my interest and I will try something else by the author.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

This was my first encounter with Millhauser's work, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed these stories. As the description implies, each story starts with a relatively mundane domestic setting but adds a strange twist to it. In this way, some of the stories reminded me of some of the work of Ray Bradbury.

Many of the stories involve deviations from the norm. In one story that has stuck with me, the residents of a small suburban neighborhood become obsessed with climbing ladders. They build and buy larger and larger ones to try and get as high up as they can. Eventually, this leads to people being injured, as you might suspect, and the allure wears off. In another, people remove all the green space from around their homes.

While reading these stories, I was mostly engrossed. As with many story collections, some of the stories worked better for me than others. However, the majority have not really stuck with me. While writing this review, I find that I don't actually remember the majority of what I read a few months ago. It's disappointing that they did not make more of a lasting impression.

Overall, I'd recommend these stories if you like speculative fiction and want a well-written collection. But I wouldn't expect to be blown away by them.

After reading “Disruptions” by Steven Millhauser I gotta say that I had a pretty good time with it! Definitely helped me through a reading slump.

I tried to read this book several times and I found the stories to be very boring and uninteresting. I was not able too finish the book.

In turn, imaginative and fantastical, thought-provoking, humorous and unsettling Disruptions by Steven Millhauser is a remarkable collection of short stories varying in theme, length, and subject matter – a testimonial to the author’s magnificent range and versatility. The collection comprises a total of eighteen stories some new as well as several that have been previously published.

Among my favorites in the collection ( 5⭐ ) are :
After the Beheading examines the aftermath of life in a town after the public beheading (guillotine) of a killer. Guided Tour takes us on a very realistic trip around an old city whose fame has its roots in a popular fairy tale. The Summer of Ladders follows the residents of a town as their obsession with ladders in the summer results in an almost competitive quest to climb to the highest altitude that results in dire consequences for some. The Little People studies the dynamics between humans and a community of tiny people who live in their midst. In The Column Dwellers of Our Town the top of the columns in the city provide sanctuary to those looking to live out their lives in solitude. In Theater of Shadows a unique show performance in a new theater in town inspires the residents to drastically change their way of life. In Green we follow a community whose idea of beatification of their neighborhoods involves the removal of all greenery.

My ratings for the remaining stories -

4⭐-Late , A Tired Town, A Common Predicament and The Circle of Punishment

3.5⭐- The Fight , A Haunted House Story , Thank You for Your Patience, Kafka in High School 1959, The Change and He Takes, She Takes.

3⭐- One Summer Night

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this superbly penned collection of stories. This is my first time reading Steven Millhauser and it surely won’t be my last.

I was so pleased with Disruptions. I have been reading Stephen Millhauser since his 1997 Pulitzer Prize winning Martin Dressler novel.

But if you know Millhauser’s work, you know he succeeds most fully in the short story format. Disruptions is a master deck of brief, odd universes. I am so pleased with the variety of settings here, as well as the trademark MillHauser intricacies of the worlds he creates.

The author has never been as obsessive as he is in the MUST-read “Summer of Ladders” (my fave of the collection). His story of miniatures, “The Little People” is a deeply disturbed, wildly wrought love story between the land of giants and the hearts of tiny fairy men and women.

I heartily commend this collection. It is about half new stories, and about half previously published elsewhere.

Special things to Nat Galley for the early access to this title, in exchange, for an honest, unbiased review.

I AM LIVING OMG.
I am so thankful to Knopf Books, Steven Millhauser, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for sending physical, digital, and audio access to Disruptions: Stories before this baby hits shelves on August 1, 2023.

This is a collection of 18 different stories that depict humorous, literary, horrific, and outlandish themes all throughout the course of the book. I had the luxury of listening to this one on audiobook while doing household chores and it was the perfect palette cleanser in between the gruesome true crime depictions and horror reads.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date: 8/1/23

I was expecting to like this collection way more than I actually did. The description sounded like a perfect match for me, but I was consistently bored while reading the stories, and had to force myself to finish the book.

I think part of my issue was that the stories, while all unique and very quirky/creative, just felt like they were too heavy-handed. The theme of each story was kind of beaten to death, and that turned the quirkiness into annoyance for me.

I will say that some of the stories were incredibly unique, and I appreciate that one author could come up with all of these ideas for short stories, and have them seem different from other collections out there. Ultimately, this book didn't live up to my expectations, but I do feel that the author would be an interesting person to learn more about.

This collection of short stories is like if John Updike was on acid. It is sneaky complex: the stories feel simple, but are very layered and when read together they feel substantial.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I find myself having a harder time with short story collections lately. This one didn't really stick with me either, though it did have a few interesting stories mixed in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the amazing publisher for the ARC of this title! I am so grateful to be auto-approved for this title!
I look forward to reading and reviewing. More to come!