This collection of short stories is the best I’ve ever read. They’re sweet and sad and tragic all at the same time. The writing is lyrical and a form of music in itself. I took my time and savoured each of these stories, one by one.

I read the original short story History of Sound in 2021 and loved Ben Shattuck’s writing. He has outdone himself with this beautiful book of short stories. The bookending of the book with History of Sound and Origin Stories was perfect - the one whose life was less fulfilled because of a shortened relationship and one whose life was less fulfilled because of a relationship run overlong.

I liked the idea of paired stories, with the second solving a mystery or explaining a situation introduced in the first. However, Shattuck's stories are not directly paired in the book, and sometimes when I came across the second story I could no longer relate it to the first.
The two pairs that I recognized I enjoyed, but much of the book felt disjointed to me.

Ben Shattuck created a thread that ties twelve unique stories together in The History of Sound and it is really quite beautiful.

All of the stories are set in New England, making that oldest part of America almost like the main character of the book, and are set at various times from the earliest settlers through to modern day. That makes the way individuals in our time are connected to characters who left England to the New World all the more profound.

Short stories and I don't usually get along very well but we did this time. Other than struggling a little with a couple of the stories, mostly because I was trying to figure out how they relate to 'sound' and it wasn't as clear as some of the others, it was time well-spent.

I would say that five of the stories could be considered 5-star stories (The History of Sound, Graft, Tundra Swan, August in the Forest, The Journal of Thomas Thurber, and The Auk). And two are 4-star stories (Edwin Chase of Nantucket & Origin Stories). That makes for a very well-rounded grouping.

I don't want to spoil anything so I'll leave it at that. If you like short stories, stories about New England, stories about history, stories about people, and stories about all that it means to be human... this book is for you.

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I received a copy of The History of Sound through NetGalley and Viking in exchange for an honest and original review.

I am not usually a short story reader, but I enjoyed this collection of related stories. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved these stories. I loved their emotional intelligence, and how successive stories reflected illuminating light on the previous stories. I loved the beauty of the sentences and the book’s inventiveness, and the unflinching study of the best and worst of humanity. I savoured this book, one story at a time. These are stories that invite us to reread them, knowing we will gain deeper appreciation with each rereading.

These beautifully written short stories span a broad swath of history as well as different settings. The stories are interesting and the characters intriguing. I thought it was an excellent collection of stories.

I’m not usually a short story fan but these are marvelous! Each story is paired with one other in content though the time frames could be decades or even centuries apart. The writing is so genuine and clear that it is a pleasure to read. Descriptions of New England in the 1700s is actually breathtaking. Remarkable characters actually seem like real people so it was hard to convince myself that this was fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Press for the ARC to read and review.

These stories are compelling enough but I think I missed the point. I wasn't sure how to connect them all and lost the thread as I became immersed in each story.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found the stories in this to be interested and loosely connected through time, but I never sensed a deep connection or meaning. I finished this book wondering what I missed or what it was all supposed to be about. Ultimately, I feel confused and, if I’m being completely honest, a little unsettled by some of the darker elements of the stories.

Using the “hook-and-chain” form popularized in eighteenth-century New England, Ben Shattuck creatively weaves together narratives as couplets. Having never read a book in this unique form, I was immediately interested. The History of Sound creatively tells of the lives of various New Englanders. Within each set of stories, I felt immersed in their lives. Shattuck masterfully balances the desire for the story to continue with the need for a conclusive ending, ensuring that readers are left both fulfilled and contemplative. With themes of longing, loss, self-discovery, isolation, and hope, there is something with which every reader can resonate. This is a novel that should be read a bit at a time in order to savor the intricate stories and fully enjoy this original work.


I am grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Ben Shattuck’s The History of Sound.

’The History of Sound’, covers stories that share the lives of people over three centuries, stories that connect to the past as well as the future. Each story is followed by a new story that reveals something new about the story before.

I loved how this began, with two men who meet in a bar by the piano, and end up spending that summer walking through Maine, searching for old folk songs, and forge a friendship.

Stories that are set from the 1700s Nantucket to New Hampshire, this covers a lot of time, and the lives of many people. Most are set in very rural places, some with mysterious stories, and one felt to me as though it was a much older version of something akin to the Branch Davidians. Some focus on families, the good, and the bad, and some on survival. Others on families and loss, or an essence of rejection.

Beautifully written, there is a deeply touching poignancy throughout these connected stories that made reading these stories very moving and memorable.

A story of the connection between past and present, families, loss, and finding the place we call home.


Pub Date: Jul 09 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by PENGUIN GROUP Viking, Viking

This is a beautiful set of intertwined stories moving between past and present, with familiar glimpses showing up to connect the narratives. The storytelling is beautiful and reminded me of Anthony Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomenon.

Gorgeous. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this short story collection.

This short story, anticipated for its film adaptation featuring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor, unfolds from Lionel's perspective, chronicling his transformative romance with David during World War I. The narrative's non-linear structure accentuates the lasting impact of their love, as Lionel reflects on subsequent relationships. Similar to Brokeback Mountain, the two men traverse America with a phonograph, exploring their concealed affection. Despite a tragic revelation about David's engagement and a potentially implied suicide, the story, while falling into the "bury your gays" trope, is beautifully written and emotionally resonant. The concise plot, focusing on Lionel's emotional journey, makes a powerful impact, even with Shattuck's prose, though skillful, lacking originality.