I’m not really a short story reader but Curtis Sittenfeld is one of my favorite writers and this collection did not disappoint. I really felt like I got a full narrative arc in many of these stories, maybe I am a short story reader now! Maybe it’s because I’m a middle aged midwestern woman like many of these characters in this book, but these stories felt true to me. I enjoyed all the stories but enjoyed some more than others. And as a Sittenfeld fan I most enjoyed revisiting characters I met in her first book, Prep.

This was okay! I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I liked Sittenfeld's You Think It, I'll Say it, and I really liked Romantic Comedy, but Show Don't Tell just didn't hit the same as other work of hers that I've read. The stories weren't as memorable and I found it hard to pick this back up and continue reading.

I will say — I really love Sittenfeld's writing and that was no different in this collection of short stories.

I'll continue to read more of her work in the future, this just wasn't a favorite of mine!

Short story collections can be hit or miss depending on the writer, but Curtis does not disappoint. I love her writing, I would read it in any genre. I had to request this one when I saw the title and was instantly transported to my creative writing courses in undergrad. It was peak disassociation to step into each of these uniquely different characters and their respective worlds. I would recommend this to anyone looking for something funny, insightful, and at times poignant.

A preface to my review - Sittenfeld's first short story collection "You Think It" isn't billed as a "Trump book," nor is it, but so many of these stories show the conundrums---social, sexual, professional---of this singular political moment. I'm tempted to reread it.
In her latest collection of short stories, Curtis Sittenfeld presents eleven stories that explore the complexities of relationships, fame, artistic ambition, and the ever-shifting dynamics of modern life, often in an academic setting. With her characteristic wit and insight, Sittenfeld creates characters who feel so authentic that reading their stories is like remembering experiences from your own life. Highly recommended.

Writing is great, some stories felt more memorable than others but I loved the final story that continues from her novel, Prep. If you read Prep, you need to get “Lost But Not Forgotten”. I also really liked “A for Alone” and “The Hug”. Target audience is really women in their 40s-50s.

A collection of short stories featuring a bunch of characters you will love to hate. I’m still not completely sure whether this is a good or bad thing.

I loved this author's last book Romantic Comedy. This one is a collection of short stories - but even in a short story there's a lot packed in. each one was unique and made you think. I enjoyed this, and loved a quick short story read.

What a great book to start the year. I loved reading this book in chunks because once I started a story- I didn’t want to stop. They were all so different and I ended up talking to my husband about all of them upon finishing. I really liked this format and haven’t read a short story collection like it since Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld is a good collection of stories from the author of Romantic Comedy. I didn’t love all of the stories but I feel that Sittenfeld is greatest at creating ideas and concepts but needed a novel to flesh them out.

One of my favorite things about Curtis Sittenfeld's writing, in both short stories and her novels, is how the voices of her main characters carry the story forward. The characters over-explain to the listener (reader) in such a relatable, conversational way that it's like sitting face to face and experiencing life through the character's dialogue. These stories in Show Don't Tell are almost all middle aged women (a couple of men narrate, as well). The women are also privileged and they will tell you this. But it's the specificity of detail that delineate one story from another, and Sittenfeld is skilled at making us care for them all. There are rocky marriages, parents who get along well with their children and want to make a better life for them than they had, some stresses that break alliances down or perhaps strengthen them. For the most part, this is post-Covid domesticity in distillation, so if that's one of the kinds of stories you like, this will likely delight.

Every story in Curtis Sittenfeld’s collection gripped me harder than the one before it. With her consistent humor, intelligence, and honesty, she creates characters so believable that I feel I’ve met every one of them. Many of these stories focus on middle-aged female characters, their relationships, their regrets, and their complex inner lives. She has the remarkable ability to bring the small nuances of day-to-day life into such sharp focus that you feel you’re living in the story with the characters. In the final story of the collection, the main character of her first novel, Prep, goes back to boarding school for her 30th reunion—a sequel fans have hoped for for the past 20 years.

Sittenfeld’s distinctive style never disappoints, and her short stories pack just as much depth as her novels. I typically prefer novels to short fiction, but I absolutely loved this book. No one does it better than she does.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've seen a lot of reviews say that this is very relatable to them as middle-aged women....and to that, this middle aged woman asks, why are you all so sad?!

If you:
-like slice of life lit-fic
-don't mind an inconclusive ending
-like to ponder your stories afterwards
-like things to be vaguely sad and anxious

Then I think you'll like these stories, and that's great. I was hoping for a little more from each of these characters and tended to leave each story with more questions than answers in a way I found disatisfying. But Sittendfeld is clearly a master of the written word and the quality of her prose cannot be disputed.

The best story in the lot was "The Hug" - while it is a story of marital discontent in a full volume of stories featuring marital discontent, this also captured a lot of our early pandemic social fears in a way that not much literature has.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Curtis Sittenfeld!! I'm so glad I asked for the Romantic Comedy arc a few years ago and that led me to discovering this author. She writes such small, magnetic slice of life stories that feel so viscerally real that multiple times I was questioning if this was autobiographical. Would really recommend this one!

This was my first read from Curtis Sittenfeld and usually I'm not a fan of short stories - they usually leave me feeling disappointed and wishing there was more. This collection of stories however did NOT disappoint! While I would always welcome to read more about some of the characters "Vodka Vicky" for example, I thoroughly enjoyed each story as they explored relationships, intimacy, connection, nostalgia and regret - all things which make us human. Curtis Sittenfeld does not fill in all the holes for her reader allowing for interpretation and space to consider. This might not sit well for some readers but it landed solidly for me. I loved that it was socially relevant for the times we are in and encourages the reader to reflect on some of the complexities of our day to day life. More please Curtis Sittenfeld! Big thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like any collection of short stories, I enjoyed some more than others, but I loved being able to pick it up and enjoy a bit at a time.

For me, Curtis Sittenfeld is the master of writing characters that feel so familiar and specific they must have been ripped from my own memory. These stories offer a thoughtful exploration of seemingly mundane, everyday moments that will have you reflecting on your own life.

Sittenfeld’s best short-story collection to date. Always thought provoking musings that stick with you long after the book ends.

Each story felt like there was an agenda and I ended up stopping halfway and feeling disappointed. I really enjoyed her last collection of short stories but not these.

4.25 stars! Curtis Sittenfeld is one of my all-time favorite authors, and her latest short story collection, SHOW DON'T TELL, definitely did not disappoint! Most of the stories follow flawed, complex women (mostly in middle age) and the lessons they learn about life, love, friendship, fame, ambition, nostalgia, and more.

Sittenfeld always captures even the smallest, seemingly mundane details about everyday life with such wit and precision, and readers get a real sense of who these characters are, even though we aren't spending hundreds of pages with them like one might in a novel, compared to a short story collection. I also love how she often tackles that sort of liminal space between college and feeling like a "real adult," or just those times in a person's life when they're trying to figure out who they are and where they belong, as well as how their past might have shaped the choices they've made and what they've decided they "deserve" in terms of career, romance, etc. Each story wraps up in an overall satisfying way, yet somehow I still felt like I could have spent even more time with these characters, and wanted to see what might happen next! Some of my favorites included The Marriage Clock, The Richest Babysitter in the World, The Follow-Up, The Patron Saints of Middle Age, and, most of all, Lost But Not Forgotten, which revisits Lee Fiora, heroine of Sittenfeld's novel PREP, showing where life has taken her in the years since she graduated from boarding school (once again reminding me that I need to reread that book ASAP). Even if you haven't read any of Curtis Sittenfeld's work yet, or are not usually a fan of short stories, I would still recommend SHOW DON'T TELL—I think so many readers will find something to enjoy from this collection! And, as always, I can't wait to see what Sittenfeld writes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Loved this collection of sharp, engaging short stories. Had an easy time getting into each one, and was invested in each of them through the end. Curtis Sittenfeld is so easy to read that you can miss that she's also really, really smart.

In "Show Don't Tell," Curtis Sittenfeld's collection of short stories demonstrates her technical skill as a writer while raising questions about the delicate balance between craft and connection. While Sittenfeld's prose remains precise and observant, this collection reveals both the possibilities and limitations of the short story format.

The title itself speaks to a fundamental rule of writing, and Sittenfeld certainly shows her mastery of the craft through carefully constructed narratives and keen observations. However, the collection struggles with a more essential task: creating meaningful emotional resonance with readers. The stories, while competently crafted, often feel like exercises in technique rather than gateways to deeper understanding or connection.

Each story presents a distinct slice of life, but these glimpses frequently leave readers questioning their investment in the characters' journeys. Sittenfeld's attention to detail and literary craftsmanship is evident throughout, yet the emotional distance between reader and narrative creates a barrier that's difficult to overcome.

The short story format poses unique challenges, demanding that authors create compelling worlds and characters in limited space. While Sittenfeld's writing demonstrates considerable skill, the brevity of each piece combined with their emotional restraint may leave readers feeling like observers rather than participants in these carefully constructed worlds.

This collection might best serve readers who appreciate technical precision in writing and don't require deep emotional investment in their reading experience. However, those seeking stories that leave a lasting impression or forge strong connections with characters may find themselves wanting more.