I’ve decided that Curtis Sittenfeld is the queen of short stories. First, there was “You Think It, I’ll Say It,” and now we have this collection, “Show Don’t Tell.” When I learned she revisits Lee Fiora from her iconic novel “Prep,” I was all in. It’s the last story in the book, and I was eager to read it, but I tried to absorb each story. Each one had a lesson. I loved them all. “I felt like I was a trash can that he was dumping words into.”

Thank you to Random House for a free copy in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars

Show Don't Tell is a collection of short stories by Curtis Sittenfeld, some of which were published previously on other platforms.

Sittenfeld's writing is rich, without a doubt. Her storytelling breathes life into each character while maintaining the boundary of not being too whiny or cliché. Each story features a unique plot line, featuring normal characters who are dealing with the more nuanced circumstances of life.

My only complaint has to do with the anticlimactic endings. Understandably, real life does not have satisfying conclusions, so I can see how this could be what the author is going for. However, quite a few endings feel more like the end of a chapter rather than the end of the story.

Regardless, Sittenfeld's writing is beautiful and she tells good stories, so for lovers of short stories or those who have book commitment issues, this is a great choice for you.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Show Don't Tell is available wherever books are sold.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld.

I don't always enjoy short stories, I think it takes the right kind of author to make them really strike the right balance of telling a full story in such a concentrated length.

These stories totally hit! Every single one of them had me thinking, smiling, cringing, or laughing. I think at this point it's pretty fair to call me a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld.

I often find that I like short story collections, but I rarely love them, and this is no exception. I like Curtis Sittenfeld's writing and was very much enjoying these stories at first, but it quickly turned into a slog to get through. So many of the stories barely held my attention, and I honestly could not recall most of them only a couple of days after finishing this.

My biggest issue though is that a lot of these stories were hard to separate from the lens of a middle aged cis white woman. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with that, but a handful of these stories did have to do with race, politics, and sexuality. Sittenfeld obviously has the right opinions about a lot of what she wrote about (meaning that I align with her politically and she's clearly trying to be progressive), but I just didn't really care about these stories from the characters' point of view from which they were told. If I'm reading about a group of Black characters who get kicked out of a birthday party because they stand out as obviously not being part of the party, I'd rather read that from their point of view and from a different author. If I'm reading about a Black woman who is discovering her sexuality for the first time in her life, I want to read her story from her, not from her white best friend who is giving her advice.

I loved Romantic Comedy, and there were a couple of these stories that did work well for me, but as a whole, this was not my favorite.

This immersive and sharp short story captures power, privilege, and social maneuvering in an elite MFA program. It reveals the protagonist’s quiet desperation to belong while exposing hierarchies within academic and literary circles. I felt the strength was in its ability to balance humor and critique, making me cringe and sympathize with the main character’s anxieties. It’s a compelling!! And layered with Sittenfeld's wit.

As a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld's novels, I was eager to dive into this collection of her short stories. Like her well known books, this collection draws the reader into relatable characters who are simultaneously deep and uncomplicated, flawed yet endearing. Most of the stories center on women in the midst of their lives (I don't like to call it middle age) and their self-discoveries as they explore their next chapter, risking new relationships and revisiting old ones. The final story, "Lost But Not Forgotten" gives readers who loved Prep a 30-year fast forward to an older, wiser Lee Fiora attending her prep school reunion. I also really enjoyed "The Marriage Clock" about the simplicity and absurdity of a self-help guru and the self-awareness that evolves in the female media executive trying to convince him to let go of his homophobia while crushing on him at the same time. Each story within Show Don't Tell left me thinking; the endings were both open for interpretation but also perfectly satisfying. Truly an enjoyable collection of stories centered on human behavior - the magical sweet spot between frailty and strength that keeps us moving forward in a mostly positive direction, day after day. Thank you Random House and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a short story collection and Curtis Sittenfeld's writing. So this is the perfect combination for me. There are some standouts in this collection but really I enjoyed them all and can't recommend highly enough for any Sittenfeld fan.

"Show Don't Tell" by Curtis Sittenfeld is a short story collection. I am a huge fan of Curtis Sittenfeld’s writing, and really enjoyed this collection of short stories.
This was beautifully written, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy.

Like any short story collection, readers will enjoy some and not others. Each is told from a middle-aged Midwestern woman’s day in the life perspective on a multitude of topics. It is refreshing to have protagonists that are relatable (read imperfect), but each story almost felt like the same character giving us a snapshot of different points in her life. I understand Sittenfeld is writing what she knows, but I would have preferred more diverse point of views for the collection and more diverse themes.

Sittenfeld is obviously a talented writer, but most of these stories were depressing musings leaving me discouraged as this is the age I’m headed into. And many readers might find the stories preachy as ironically several tell rather than show in the end.

This collection had a few stories I enjoyed, but most felt repetitive commonly reflecting on unhappy marriages and missed opportunities. I much prefer Romantic Comedy, which the main character also reflects on society’s control of human expectations, but in a more upbeat manner and with killer dialogue.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and of course the author Curtis Sittenfeld for the advanced copy of the book. Show Don’t Tell is out now. All opinions are my own.

“Show Don’t Tell” is a great collection of short stories! The stories are full of realistic plots and characters, Curtis Sittenfield captures such authentic people in just a few pages, 3.5 stars

An excellent short story collection! I really admire Sittenfeld’s writing, and it’s unusual for me to love almost every story in a collection like I did for this one.

I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by Curtis Sittenfeld (American Wife being my first, and one of my all time favorite books that I’ve read several times). This new short story collection SHOW DON’T TELL was like reading a bunch of vignettes in a row and I devoured it. Every story has her characteristic sharp writing and sly wit. Would recommend!

Sittenfeld, already a fine novelist, is becoming one of our best short story writers. There wasn't a false tale in the bunch. And you don't have to have read Prep to enjoy the final story, but it will make you go back to Prep and read it again or for the first time. Highly recommended.

I could have lived in each of these stories for so much longer. I loved this collection!

I can’t believe I sat on this book as long as I did

The relentless desire to define and put into words the complexities and nuances of all the relationships we are comprised of……these stories were quite thought provoking without trying too hard to be. I found some of the essays focusing on anti-racism to be a bit white feminist, but to be fully honest I don’t expect the author to offer any particularly groundbreaking anti-racist insight that hasn’t already been said before. I appreciate how the characters are so whole in that they are complex and insecure; Sittenfeld does a great job at creating these honest and relatable realities. It’s a testament to the power of her writing that I can feel so much nostalgia for a universe I’ve never lived in!

Curtis Sittenfeld’s *Show, Don’t Tell* is a sharp, insightful collection of short stories that explore ambition, privilege, and identity with her signature wit. Each story offers a compelling glimpse into the complexities of relationships, creativity, and power dynamics. While some themes feel a bit on-the-nose, the collection is engaging and thought-provoking, especially for writers and literary lovers.

This short story collection looks at how people evolve over time, especially women. Each story dives into a turning point in someone's life, how they got there, and how it impacts them. Overall I liked most of the stories. I loved the realistic look at middle aged women throughout the stories. I also quite enjoyed revisiting the "Prep" world again. My main complaint with short stories in general is that there is not enough character development. Sittenfeld does not fall into that trap. The characters are fully developed and allow you to connect with them even in such a short space.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of Show Don't Tell.

As a fan of Sittenfeld’s debut, Prep, which is now 20 years old, and her more recent, Romantic Comedy, it’s safe to say if it has her name on it I’m likely reading it.

She actually returns to Prep’s main character in one of the short stories which makes me want to go back and read where it all started.

For this selection, it’s the writing that draws me in rather than the actual stories themselves as some feel like everyday observances or reflections on life. Not a bad thing but something to keep in mind.

Her characters are relatable and make you feel like even if you’ve not been in the same situations, you might know someone who has.

Curtis Sittenfeld is an auto-read author for me, and this was another short story collection that blew me away. She examines the minutiae of everyday life and our inner turmoils with such precision - turning the ordinary into extraordinary with her unique brand of uninhibited storytelling. Most of the narratives revolve around women in their mid 40s/early 50s (Sittenfeld's and my age) and are so identifiable to me, but have ageless themes of love, marriage, friendship, feminism, self awareness, to name a few. As with her other books, characters id's and ego's start to go off the rails and she examines them in a deliciously scandalous way. I couldn't put it down and am beginning to think her short stories are superior to her novels, which I also love!

I love that short story collections often allow the stories to be a little more wild and unhinged - there’s less pressure to craft a story that can carry a whole book. This collection is full of fun and weird stories; my favorites were The Patron Saint of Middle Age and The Richest Babysitter in the World.