For my friends who enjoy exceptionally written short stories about relationships.

SHOW DON’T TELL by Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld

Thanks, @randomhouse, for the review copy via #NetGalley. (Available now)

The challenge with a short story, in my opinion as a reader, is the length of the runway. I know the takeoff and landing will be tricky, but this is what I want: I want a good-sized plane. At least one flight attendant and two seats on each side of the aisle. I don’t need a trans-atlantic-sized, five seats in the middle type. But I sure need more than a puddle jumper - a plane so small the pilot yells out the window, “Hey, last one up the steps, kick the chocks out from behind the wheels, will ya?” I need a plane that allows a 21-inch carry-on.

So imagine my joy when I stepped onto Sittenfeld’s latest collection of stories and looked around. A complete component of flight attendants. A movie. Snack boxes for purchase. Three seats on either side of the aisle. And it was a nice plane, too. You know what I mean? No cracked vinyl on the seats. It’s clean, new, modern, with one of those screens in the back of the seat in front of you. There’s wifi. Can you see the plane I mean? Can you feel the satisfaction? The contentment?

Each of the 12 stories here is fully fleshed out. Each felt like a novel: I knew the characters, and thought about them after their story ended. While I could have easily read 250 more pages about them, each had endings that felt like endings (you know that feeling when the landing gear in the nose of the plane touches down?) and didn’t leave me hanging in mid-air.

I adored this collection and am excited to have another #autobuyauthor.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy Sittenfeld's work and I was very excited to get the chance to read this collection of short stories. I am always a bit torn about short stories because if I like them, I am left wanting to read more of the story than what the author provided. Overall, I thought this was a well-written and thoughtful compilation about women who are facing both the challenges and triumphs of middle age.

I am not normally a fan of short stories but this was an exception!! There were so many stories that left me wanting more. So engaging and interesting.

This collection of short stories was a major letdown. While the concept of focusing on ordinary moments that stick with people had potential, the execution felt flat. The characters, mostly in their thirties to fifties, were unrelatable, and I struggled with the awkward portrayal of black characters. It felt like the author either didn't know how to write them authentically or was making a political statement, which didn’t work for me. The stories felt repetitive, and I found myself skipping a few.

As a fan of Sittenfeld’s previous works like Romantic Comedy, I was disappointed by this one. The stories lacked the sharp wit and engaging characters I expected, leaving me uninterested and frustrated. None of the characters stood out, and by the third story, I had already forgotten the first. Sadly, I don't think I'll be reading another Sittenfeld book after this. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc, but this one wasn’t for me.

Show Don't Tell is a collection of short stories from Curtis Sittenfeld. My only previous experience with this author was Prep. I wasn't familiar with her short stories. The first, Show Don't Tell, could have been the beginning and end of a longer tale I'd like to read. It bookends an author waiting to see if she will be getting the most prestigious funding for her writing program and how she distracts herself while waiting. This sets up a collection of stories about characters, both easy and hard to like, who are at pivotal points in their life. Points on which their future may balance and turn. For example, I find the second story both depressing and infuriating. Especially the ending. Many others were somewhere in between. Almost always a little bit sad. Always about a pivotal point in the lives of the people at the center. Aside from the weird focus of the author on private schools, I enjoyed all the stories in some ways.

A great collection of varied stories about adults, mainly women, in a variety of situations. Each was a compelling read, and I enjoyed the tastes of current affairs and politics in them.

3.5 stars
I’ll start out by saying that I am not always a fan of short stories. For what this was, I did enjoy it! I do prefer Curtis’ novels but this was a nice slice of life to tide me over in the meantime!

I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection. The "follow up" to Prep was a fun surprise. Some of the stories ended in a way, to me, that felt too open ended? I still had questions about the plot for the characters! But overall it was an enjoyable collection.

One of my 2025 reading goals is to read more short story collections — collections like SHOW DON’T TELL are exactly why.

SHOW DON’T TELL is a collection that focuses on women (and a few men) in early middle-age, focusing on their romantic relationships, friendships, and ambitions. As a whole, this collection is delicious. Sittenfield creates characters that feel whole and familiar in a matter of pages. The stories are playful, but cover topical and hard-hitting topics, managing to strike a delicate balance.

The structure of the collection is perfectly designed: the first story is compulsively readable and drew me in, not only to that particular story but to many themes the collection goes on to explore, like marriage and gender dynamics. Though the strength of the stories dips a bit in the second half, the final story, LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN, fully captivated me. Because it revisits the main character from her beloved novel PREP, it is worth noting that I have not yet read PREP and @katyisreading who has, had a different experience.

Though I set the goal to read more short story collections before cracking this one open (I actually forgot it was short stories until I finished the first story 😆), SHOW DON’T TELL is the perfect example of why I want to prioritize this type of storytelling. Nothing makes me think more about structure and writing and word choice — and when done well, they are also uniquely absorbing and a heck of a lot of fun to read. Sittenfield is a master of this short form writing and her 2018 collection is now high on my list.

This book also brought to light another reading goal for 2025: to read more backlist books from authors I love. There are three authors I am hoping to do this for this year, and Sittenfield is one of them. So far, I’ve read ELIGIBLE, ROMANTIC COMEDY, and this one. Where should I go next? I am thinking PREP or AMERICAN WIFE, but open to being convinced to go in a different direction 😉 If you have short story collection recommendations, please send them my way, too.

I am a Curtis Sittenfeld completist, and I was delighted to read an advance copy of her second short story collection. This play on the creative writing principle weaves itself throughout the book as an exploration of character identity. I especially enjoyed “The Patron Saints of Middle Age,”

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

• focusing on the inner lives of her characters, sittenfeld’s second short story collection is a book that i didn’t see coming! her novels have been hit or miss for me (loved ‘romantic comedy,’ didn’t care for ‘eligible’), but this was a really strong collection overall.
• i’m not usually a fan of short story collections, but this was genuinely one of the best i’ve read in a long time.
• stand out stories include ‘a for alone’ (in which the narrator embarks on a creative project to disprove the ‘mike pence rule’) and ‘lost but not forgotten’ (which features lee from her novel ‘prep’ as she attends an alumni event).

I have enjoyed Curtis Sittenfeld's previous books so was anxious to read her latest collection of short stories. The author does an excellent job of bringing her usually midwestern characters to life by exposing their personalities and quirks in a unique way. I don't always like her characters, and these stories are no exception. Sittenfeld's stories in this collection are all very different with unique story lines that bring them to their journey. I would recommend this book to enjoy no matter how or what your circumstances are since there's a nice mix of stories for everyone.

Thank you to Penguin and Random House for an ARC of this book.

This is definitely a case of this being a me issue rather than the book not being good. There are many amazing review for this book but something about it just didn’t grab me. I struggled to connect with the short story format. I will continue to read this authors work in the future, this just wasn’t the right fit for me this time.

Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld has written a collection of twelve short stories and they were so fascinating.
Sittenfeld has written a book that is as unique as it is compelling.
I really enjoyed this book, it’s clever with witty dialogue and really does make for reflective reading.

In a departure from most of her recent long-form novels, Curtis Sittenfeld has brought an even more poignant collection of short stories in her latest publication. Many of these stories focus on a central character facing some thought-provoking scenario, exploring everything from marriage and family to racial bias, fame, and more. While some stories are longer than others, each one brings layers of humor and concern for the subjects.
There’s no rhyme or reason for how each short story is ordered through the book or why that particular story was chosen, but each story had positives and negatives.
Thank you to Random House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you random house for the review copy of Show Don't Tell. I have adored Curtis Sittenfeld and her messy but ultimately lovable main characters since I read Prep in the early 2000s. I remain a Lee Fiora fan and I can't tell you how excited I was to discover one of these short stories returned me to that character and that world. That alone made this a standout collection! Sittenfeld is expert at the little turns in plot, the curves you can't predict because life is unpredictable, and she takes those curves, makes them work, and does so in short story form, telling a complete story in small space.
But overall what is the win is the writing once again, the way Sittenfeld has me embracing my flaws, celebrating my own messiness and realizing that is just who I am, and that there is a little joy perhaps, a little rebellion, in being 100% exactly the messy woman that I am and the woman I am meant to be.

I'm not a big reader of short stories, but I enjoyed the previous book I read by Sittenfeld, and I seen a few friends that loved this, so I decided to give it a try. Overall, I enjoyed these stories. Some I liked .more than others. They are about regular life things such as friendships, marriage, divorce….and many of them I found pretty funny. Sittenfeld is a talented writer and I did enjoy reading this one.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

I love Curtis Sittenfeld. There hasn't been a book that has disappointed me. She is a great author and creates down-to-earth, relatable stories. In Show Don't Tell, Sittenfeld writes short stories about Midwestern women exploring marrage, friendship, careers and embracing (or not) middle age. If you enjoy reading short stories, then I would highly recommend this book. Personally, I struggle with short story collections, never finding my momentum. By the time I start engaging with the story and characters, everything comes to an end.

Show Don't Tell: Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld

In her second short story collection, Show Don't Tell, Curtis Sittenfeld offers twelve narratives that delve into the complexities of modern life, relationships, and personal introspection. Each story introduces characters navigating pivotal moments, reflecting Sittenfeld's keen observation of human nature and societal nuances.​

The collection features memorable stories. Sittenfeld's writing is characterized by her sharp wit and tender exploration of her characters' inner lives, peeling back layers to reveal their vulnerabilities and strengths. The stories evoke a range of emotions, from amusement at the protagonists' predicaments to deep empathy for their personal struggles.​

Show Don't Tell is recommended for readers who appreciate character-driven narratives that explore the intricacies of human relationships and personal growth.

I’m not a huge fan of Curtis Sittenfeld, but I’ve been fairly 50/50 on her work, so I gave this a try. The stories weren’t very interesting to me, but the biggest frustration I took from it (which I recognize is small, but nonetheless) is that this woman wrote an entire book about a faux SNL show and still doesn’t know that what they do is called “sketches” and not “skits.”