I really enjoyed this collection of short stories! This is the perfect read full of love, friendships and thought provoking topics and short stories.

I was invited by the publisher to review this ARC. This is a collection of short stories. If you read Prep, there is a story that updates a character from that book twenty years later (a personal joy for me); themes discussed range from women, marriage, and time, to "fixed" beliefs about social constructs. A lot of these short stories focus on personal meaning and the paths that we explore to get there, as well as the relationships among us. What I especially liked about the various characters were that not all of them were likable, but because of that, totally relatable - they were real, solid. Sprinkled within the stories is the author's signature whit - she really does it the best.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A collection of short stories that will appeal to all patrons. A variety of stories that ring true to all of us.

I enjoyed this collection of short stories! They had some similar components among them, but were all interesting with a touch of the unexpected. A For Alone stuck out to me the most in terms of being thought-provoking and unique.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Although I typically gravitate more toward novels than short stories, I do enjoy Curtis Sittenfeld's writing. So when I was offered an opportunity to read her short story collection, Show Don't Tell, I gladly accepted. And I'm very happy I did.

There are a dozen stories, each showcasing the author's signature storytelling skills, wisdom, insight, creativity, and humor. The points of view vary--some first person, some third--and a couple even alternate between different timelines. Many of them have something to say about students' experiences with formal education, from a former scholarship student who looks back on her struggle to find her identity in an elite boarding school to graduate school students vying for highly competitive fellowships. All of the stories shine a bright light on human relationships, some of which lead to disappointment while others are, unexpectedly, just what the participants didn't know they needed. Throughout the collection, we learn that what we think we know about the people in our lives may be very different from what we had envisioned.

What makes all of these stories stand out to me is specificity. I love Sittenfeld's attention to details, which are often surprising and original. I also appreciate that she doesn't have to try to wow the reader with her writing style. Her stories are straightforward, accessible, thought-provoking, and ultimately satisfying.

My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

A set of short stories with such thorough character development and such clear, succinct, and essence depicting prose that I read the whole set without once wishing I were reading a novel instead (I tend to get bored with short stories about 1/3 of the way through the collection).

The stories run the gamut of professions, relationship statuses, races, and problematic situations. Just about all of them got me thinking about some little aspect of life that I hadn’t necessarily considered before. While the characters are all different, they do seem to all share an earnestness, a tendency toward reflection, a (shared with us) path to insight, and a focus on whether or not they are, indeed, good people. A few over thinkers (unfortunately, I do identify with this). I loved the exploration of human fitness and honesty within relationships. There is plenty of dramatic tension, but of the “it could happen to me” variety and not the melodrama that so many people seem to crave.

I liked all of the stories but here are a few that tickled my thinking bone: a VP of film production heading to Alabama to convince the religious author of a popular marriage book to allow a gay couple in the movie; a babysitter for a future internet billionaire; a woman researching the “Billy Graham rule” that “if you’re a married man, you don’t spend time alone with another woman;” a covid story that unearths strange behavior patterns in a long time couple.


Quotes:
“He’s the kind of writer, I trust, about whom current students in the program have heated opinions; I’m the kind of writer their mothers read while recovering from knee surgery. To be clear, I’m mocking neither my readers nor myself – it took a long time, but eventually, I stopped seeing women as inherently ridiculous.”

“Even if it takes a month to get through a novel, the ritual still anchors me, the access to lives I’ll never live.”

“Among the gifts Alison had given me years before when she said ‘only white women are afraid of getting old’ was the reminder, at a time when I’d needed it, of just how many cultural narratives were optional rather than compulsory.”

“I hadn’t thought adulation was something I wanted or needed; I had thought companionship sufficed. But I’d failed to anticipate how calamitous the standard erosion of affection over time could be when you started with a modicum as opposed to an abundance.”

“Not for the first time, it occurs to her that perhaps, rather than exploring the customs of married, heterosexual socializing, she is inadvertently demonstrating the isolation of modern life.”

“I’d noticed over time that neither she nor Cheryl insulted themselves in the reflexive, somewhat disingenuous way my white friends did; Allison and Cheryl didn’t use self-criticism as a bid for either praise or bonding.”

I loved Romantic Comedy, so I was super excited to see this collection of short stories by Curtis Sittenfeld. I thoroughly enjoyed this compilation and devoured it in a day!

The short stories examine the human experience through their relationships from the woman exploring the Mike Pence rule through her art to a woman visiting friends since her divorce to a studio exec trying to convince an author to accept changes to the screenplay adaptation.

I really appreciated the complexity of the characters and their relationships, including all their flaws, vulnerabilities, and imperfections. The author did a beautiful job grounding each of the characters in their humanity. And of course, the dialogue was absolute perfection, making each character come alive on the page. Like most short story collections, there were some that I enjoyed more than others. However, all are worth a read and will keep you thinking for days after - definitely consider adding as your next book club pick!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While Prep is certainly not a pre-requisite for this book, it is helpful in some ways to read prior to this title. This is Sittenfeld's second collection of short stories, and I just find her writing so effectual and funny. I always recommend collections of short stories to anyone in a reading slump, and this will be moving to the top of my recs list. Funny, heartfelt, original and sometimes wild, Sittenfeld has done it again.

Four stars!

Curtis Sittenfeld’s glorious new short story collection is relevant and timely in the best ways. Her characters are richly complex and tackle middle age and the American experience with unique voices. I particularly found myself drawn to the characters in “A for Alone” where a woman tests her male acquaintances to see how they feel about the Mike Pence rule and “Atomic Marriage” where a film executive attempts to change a pastor’s mind about a film adaptation of his marriage advice book. I adored the rawness of the characters and their honest dialogue with Sittenfeld’s signature voice and cheeky takes on modern events, pop culture, and politics. I adored a glimpse into Prep’s Lee Fiora again (Prep is still my favorite novel of all time).

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced reader’s copy.

This book was a collection of short stories mainly focusing on the struggles that women are going through individually. I think some stories were better than others, and it was a quick read due to them being short stories. I liked the writing, it was funny, intuitive, introspective, and made me feel emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick read. As can be expected from Sittenfeld, each story is well-written and, with a couple of exceptions, focused on the inner lives of women struggling with some part of themselves. The characters and style are fairly similar in each story and none really stood out to me— except, of course, the final story: a short sequel, really almost an afterword, to “Prep.” Much of “Prep’s” appeal and relatability was due to its exasperatingly introspective teen protagonist, so I had no idea if I would find this story interesting as an adult reader. Happily, however, it was a pleasure to catch up with Lee and her very wealthy classmates. In the story, we get to see what Lee and her classmates are doing at their 30 year reunion. I really enjoyed seeing how Lee had changed in the interim, her memories and thoughts on her time as a teenager at boarding school, and the honest reflections of her classmates. I enjoyed this short story so much that I thought it was too bad that it was just a short story— there seemed to be enough material for a real sequel!

This story collection focuses on relationships in middle age. Primarily exploring marriage and friendship, the collection asks how the relationships often at the center of our lives change — or don’t — with individuals’ own evolutions.

One of my favorite of the stories explored two college friends, one very successful professionally and the other less so who reconnect deep into adulthood. To the second friend’s surprise, the first is still clearly fixated on having not been invited to the second’s wedding. It was also a treat to revisit the world of the main character of Prep and to see how her life turned out.

As in the author’s other books, she brings a sharp, and empathetic, eye to how the relationships from college or early adulthood continue to shape people years later, even if the relationships have long since faded. You will not regret the time you spend with the range of characters in these stories.

Highly recommended!

I love a short story collection and have really enjoyed Curtis Sittenfeld's work in the past (especially PREP, whose characters are revisited here), so I was excited for the chance to read this upcoming short story collection from the author.

I found something to enjoy in each story, and even with the most unlikeable characters, everyone was relatable. There's something really wonderful when an author can tap into universal life experiences through a very specific lens. Curtis Sittenfeld accomplished that here, for the most part, and it makes for a really fulfilling reading experience, especially if you are - as I am - a woman of a certain age!

4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I've been a fan of Sittenfeld's since Prep came out many years ago. I always give her book a shot. This collection of stories was enjoyable but I am more into her novels. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is nothing against this book or Sittenfeld, but I realize that I’m just not a short stories person. I did enjoy a few of the stories, but not enough to be effusive of the entire collection as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback. Beautiful collection of short stories about marriage and female friendship’s. This book also gives you insight on how character Lee Fiora from the novel Prep is doing some 20 years later.

Sittenfeld’s writing style is as captivating as ever, blending sharp humor with poignant insights into the contradictions of modern life. These stories are perfect for anyone who love nuanced explorations of relationships, all delivered with a clever, compassionate voice that makes every page sparkle. It’s a collection that will make you laugh, reflect, and maybe even shed a tear. In my opinion, what makes these stories truly stand out is the depth of emotion Sittenfeld brings to the surface without overdoing it; there’s humor, yes, but it’s woven with a kind of tenderness that really pulls you in.

Curtis Sittenfeld's latest novel "Show Don't Tell" is a collection of short stories, each centering around a woman at a pivotal crossroads in her life. Sittenfeld's writing always captivates me, and this book is no exception. The characters in these stories are so relatable that I believe most will find a connection to at least one of them. After finishing the book, I found myself continually reflecting on the stories, which is a true testament to the impact of Sittenfeld's writing. One of my favorite things about all of her novels is that it aways sparks though provoking conversations! As always, I am already looking forward to diving into Sittenfeld’s next novel!

SHOW DON’T TELL by Curtis Sittenfeld
⭐️ rating: 6.5/10

read if you like:
📚 short stories
👩‍❤️‍👨 stories about human relationships

summary:
Short stories are always an interesting read. They provide a quick burst of plot, keeping you engaged, but before you know it, they’re over. That being said, I had a chance to review this book, and given I don’t read a lot of short stories, it might not be the most objective view, but I highly encourage you to check this book out if you DO like short stories!

These stories revolve around human relationships at pivotal points in their characters lives, forcing them to make choices. One character finds herself with a fellowship at a critical point in her education. Another meets a man after a tumultuous divorce. Another finds herself attracted to a man at her high school reunion. While none of the characters are wildly likable, all of their journeys are interesting, and following their choices and decisions at critical times in their lives is fascinating and thought-provoking. And as a bonus, if you loved PREP as much as I did, you get to read about Lee Fiora’s future, which I loved! (Still wish there had been a sequel).

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy, and check out these stories when they release on February 25!

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfield. This was my first short story collection by her and I loved it. I've read her novels prior and really enjoyed them, so I was excited when I saw this was coming out. I really enjoyed the writing style here as well as the stories. Many of them made me think and talk to friends about them after I read them. A few I didn't click with, but like many story collections that is so normal. I also have to admit...the cover is eye catching and it got me!