I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling, thought-provoking collection of short stories. Each one featured someone at a crucial point in their life, and the author managed to immediately draw me in and immerse me in her beautifully written words. She was able to craft a well-developed plot and complex characters in a short span of time, and ended each story in a way that was both satisfying but also made me want to read more. All of the characters in these stories were complex and flawed, and some were downright unlikable. Yet I truly felt for each one and found myself empathizing with what they were going through. There was a story about a college senior on the cusp of real life, a career woman tempted to cheat on her husband during a business trip, a suburban mother forced to face her complicated feelings on race, and many more. I can't imagine anyone reading these stories and not finding something to relate to. I'm not always a huge fan of short stories, but I am a huge fan of Curtis Sittenfield, so the fact that I enjoyed this collection as much as I did is a true testament to how talented she is as a writer. I highly recommend you pick up this book, you won't regret it.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the arc edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Curtis Sittenfeld has such a neat way of writing relationships. While it seems that a lot of these stories have been previously published, this was my first time with all of them. Each story is like being dropped into a persons life in the middle of something going on and the story is just long enough to learn about the character before we’re gone and on our way to the next. Plus there is a story about Lee from Prep that I was so excited to read. Sittenfeld is always an automatic read for me and these stories were so warm and engaging, offering tiny little snapshots into everyday lives.

Thank you to Random House, NetGalley, and Curtis Sittenfeld for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks for the review copy. This is a great collection of short stories. Very wonderful title. The writing is really impressive. I also like the cover.

In her latest, Curtis Sittenfeld presents 12 captivating short stories. While these stories may follow ordinary folks, it feels, for the most part, that these protagonists are in the midst of growth, on the edge of changes - once each story ends, I was left wanting more, seekint to continue following them on their journey. Compelling and well-written, these stories are must-reads!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

Prep was one of the first books I remember choosing to read for fun back when I was a senior in high school so anything by Curtis Sittenfeld feels so nostalgic. I was very excited to receive this ARC thanks to Random House and NetGalley.

I enjoy short stories, but they're not typically my go-to choice. That being said, I realllly enjoyed almost all of these stories. They were so relatable and thought provoking and delivered meaningful messages and lessons without being too obvious. Sittenfeld's characters feel incredibly real, and their struggles resonate on multiple levels. I also absolutely loved the return to Prep through Lee Fiora's story "Lost But Not Forgotten".

I highly recommend this collection of stories, especially if you're in a reflective mood!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this short story collection. Not because I don’t think Curtis Sittenfeld isn’t a wonderful writer—she is, but because I just don’t enjoy short stories or even novellas the way I did when I was in college or just after. Now I generally want to sink my teeth into something where there is time for real character development and change.

A theme in these stories was that they would either start when someone was in college or was in middle age reflecting on life when they were younger. In The Richest Babysitter in the World, it begins when Kit is a senior in college and thinking of going to law school because she has no idea what else to do after graduation. When she gets a job babysitting the perfectly delightful three-year-old Sophie, she’s paid twice her minimum-wage job, a whopping 10 dollars an hour. It’s at a time in history when start-ups are starting up every day and either failing or making a few people very rich. The father of Sophie is a Jeff Bezos-type who launches an Amazon-type business and offers Kit a job, which she turns down. Years later with degrees in subjects that pay less than a bit of stock in his company would have, her husband wonders how life would have been different if she didn’t say no.

A few of the protagonists in the story were not necessarily comfortably likeable. I really enjoyed the short story of Show, Don’t Tell about a writer in a writers’ program and what success means in that world (money and/or critical acclaim don’t always go together in the literary community).

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this collection, which RELEASES FEBURARY 25, 2025.

Can’t say I enjoyed this collection. I felt smack dab like I had transported myself back to high school lit class. Hated that class.

One of my favorite authors, Curtis Sittenfeld, has a new collection of stories?? YES, PLEASE!! I really enjoyed quite a few of these, especially "Lost but not Forgotten", a revisiting of her novel "Prep" set at the class reunion. A really, really good writer, I love what Curtis has to say about life, relationships and the human experience. Recommend and many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for my advanced readers copy - a true pleasure!

The stories were deeply engrossing and I wish them of them could become full length books. Thank you for the ARC!

The stories here touch on relatable themes, exploring middle-age dilemmas, friendships, and social dynamics. Sittenfeld’s skill in crafting realistic characters shines through, yet the collection feels uneven. While some stories stand out, others fall flat, lacking depth or impact.

Overall, Sittenfeld’s voice is sharp, and his fans will likely appreciate this collection for its insightful moments. It just wasn’t my favorite collection.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy.

Curtis Sittenfeld remains an "auto-read" author for me. I love her perspectives in short stories. While every story wasn't a banger (hence four stars instead of five), most were insightful and surprising in interesting ways. And I loved that we got to come back to Lee Fiora, to see what she's like as an adult.

The characters and situations are so engrossing, that I didn’t want them to end when they did. Sittenfeld does a good job of saying all she needs to say about each topic, so in that sense, each story was complete, but I am just a reader who wants more words, more details, more everything, so this wasn’t a perfect read for me.

Such a big fan of Curtis Sittenfeld! I loved this and feel so lucky to have read it early. Definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Curtis Sittenfeld!

Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld is a clever and insightful exploration of the art of storytelling, focusing on the intricacies of character development and narrative techniques. Through a collection of engaging essays, Sittenfeld shares her experiences as a writer and the lessons she's learned along the way. Her writing is both relatable and thought-provoking, making it easy to connect with her ideas about the creative process. I appreciated her candidness and the way she invites readers into her world, sparking inspiration for anyone interested in writing. This book is a must-read for aspiring authors and anyone who loves to delve into the craft of storytelling!

I have read every Curtis Sittenfeld book except her first volume of short stories. Her debut novel, “Prep” is one of may favorite books. I was delighted to have the chance to read “Show Don’t Tell” early thanks to NetGalley. Most of the short stories feature middle-aged liberal white woman residing in the Midwest. Some are struggling in their marriages or with their careers. One of the standouts was a short story involving a woman grappling with whether or not she’s racist when she’s filmed in a Karen moment. Another involved a woman who was once briefly a nanny for a young family very similar to the origin story of a certain billionaire. My two favorite short stories were where a woman tested out the Mike Pence rule and one which revisited the main protagonist from Prep at her boarding school’s 30th reunion. A few of the stories didn’t hold my attention as much as others, but all were well written, Reading this did make me want to go seek out Sittenfeld’s other short stories collection now.

4.5 To say I feel affection for Curtis Sittenfeld and her writing, well, that's an understatement. Her prose goes down so easy, like ice cream on a summer day. I instantly engage with her characters and their situations, with a pleasure that has grown increasingly difficult to access as I age.

She writes about her age - mid-life with all the various pushes and pulls. Questioning the eternity of marriage and how viable is that really. Ruminations on sex. The inevitability of having an unrestrained voice at this time of life. The potential of selling out with all those repercussions. How what mattered so much earlier in life seems to matter so little now. Noticing the markers in our lives.

It's the stuff of mid-life and for some characters, a kind of crisis. I'm older than Sittenfeld, and I find myself wishing she'd write about the stage of life I'm in now. I'm certainly interested in what that mirror would show me. Her vintage is not mine, her music a bit foreign. And relatability is key. Still, for the heart beats beneath the surface, I'm there.

Curious about how autobiographical the stories are, I looked up her bio. She went to Iowa Writers, has two daughters, and ostensibly writes 'women's fiction' - just like the character in her writer-centered, first story. And the last returns to the characters from her first novel Prep. My memory of it is blurry, and yet, through her typical writerly grace, that distance didn't keep me from enjoying the characters' 30th reunion.

Overall, this is an easy and comfortable read on topics that may push some reader's sore points, just as they are in my rearview. I found each story satisfying with no longing for anything longer. And I'm left with great, continuing affection for the author.

Kudos to Sittenfeld. And thank you to Net Galley and Random House for the Advanced Reader Copy.

A collection of shirt stories, all engaging and well written! She explores themes such as emotion and insecurity. I’m not normally a fan of short stories but everything was well thought out and didn’t leave you hanging.

Curtis Sittenfeld is a master storyteller, and her new collection of short stories do not disappoint. Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advance reader's copy. I enjoyed reading all of these stories. Sittenfeld's characters are so realistic and her stories feel like they happened to someone you know in real life. She portrays her characters' emotions and thoughts with insight and accuracy. I loved "Show Don't Tell", a fun epilogue to Prep, one of my favorite Sittenfeld works. "The Marriage Clock" really made me think about what makes marriage/relationships successful or not. I loved how the main character questions the pious author of the book that is central to this story, and stands up to him after he flirted with her. "The Richest Babysitter in the World" was a great story about a character very similar to Jeff Bezos in the early stages of his career. The story was told through the lens of their college student babysitter, who turns down a job opportunity at his company. Her writing really makes the reader think "what if...", and question how our lives could be radically different by changing one decision. "The Tomorrow Box" was an interesting description of a group of friends who grow apart after college and how different people in the group view each other with completely different perspectives. Each story is rich and complex, and really satisfying from beginning to end. It's amazing how much of a world the author builds in just a few pages. I highly recommend Show Don't Tell, Curtis Sittenfeld's second volume of short stories.

Curtis Sittenfeld is always a reliably good read even if sometimes her writing about sexuality and other issues can be a bit on the nose.

She also writes a lot about her time in a boarding school as a scholarship kid. She still seems to be figuring that time in her life out. Having attended a prestigious “independent” school myself and coming from a middle class family, I really relate to how that experience amongst the trust funders can stick with you. My 50th reunion is in 4 years and I get tempted to attend. I’ve never attended any so far. I was not spring-cleaned but my mother decided not to have me go for senior year… long story and my father disagreed with the decision but it left its scars to not graduate with my class.

Anyway, Sittenfeld writes about some touchy subjects and sometimes makes you a bit uncomfortable - she’s no sissy - and I admire that even when I’m cringing a bit.

This is a collection of 11 stories and they are each long enough to sink your teeth into and be satisfying reads.

I particularly liked this comment attributed to a black woman in one story: “only white women are afraid of getting old.” That’s a lot to think about isn’t it?

Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld is a collection of modern day short stories. This was definitely true to the author’s work. Filled with realistic characters, and authentic dialogue, the writing is perfection. There is something for everyone in these stories because the subject matters are ones that will be relatable. Marriage, friendship, career goals, and social dilemmas are some of the themes.
However, I always find short stories leave me wanting more and this was no exception. The characters and situations are so engrossing, that I didn’t want them to end when they did. Sittenfeld does a good job of saying all she needs to say about each topic, so in that sense, each story was complete, but I am just a reader who wants more words, more details, more everything, so this wasn’t a perfect read for me. But for fans of the author, or readers who are excited to be able to finish a story in a half hour, this would be a great choice. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my ARC.