Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I really liked this book, I thought it was really funny. I would like to read more of Ed Park's books.

I thought I had read Ed Park before, but had not. These stories were not at all what I was expecting, but mostly that worked for me. I enjoyed the hilarity of certain passages, I thought the stories were taut and extremely well-written. But as a collection I'm not sure I found it particularly cohesive. I think I would really enjoy Park's long-form novel (I mean, clearly the Pulitzer prize committee thought well of his work in making him a finalist), but this set of stories varied in interest for me. Sometimes going in without expectations makes for a fantastic reading experience, but in this case I kept finishing each story wanting a little more, or a little less. Four stars for inventive prose, clever thoughts, and a few stories that truly shine. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy, in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed the surprising stories in this collection that have a nostalgia for pre- and early internet communication. My favorite story is Bring On the Dancing Horses, where the narrator talks about his parents, his girlfriend Tabby, and his crush, a younger woman named Deletia. Stories like this are casual and funny, exploring online life and miscommunications. They are sometimes antic, always charming, and thoroughly of their time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A brainy, bizarre, and brilliant ride through the sideways corners of reality. 📚🌀

I had such a great time reading this Arc of An Oral History of Atlantis by Ed Park. This collection of 16 short stories is sharp, funny, and totally original. Some stories are just a few pages long, while others stretch out a bit more, but all of them are playful and surprising in the best way. This author easily mixes styles like correspondence, commentary, and confessional and somehow it all works. It’s like a box of literary chocolates where every piece is different, but equally satisfying.

My favorite stories were Machine City and The Air as Air. One made me laugh out loud, the other hit me with a quiet emotional weight that I didn’t expect. There’s a strange magic in these stories: a Kindle that reads you as much as you read it, a fortune cookie with suspiciously good timing, recurring characters and places that pop up in new ways. I loved books that rewards you for paying attention. Sometimes I had to reread parts just to really absorb what was going on, but I didn’t mind at all. The weirdness was a part of the fun.

I wasn’t familiar with Ed Park’s work before this, but now I’d like to try more of his novels. His writing is smart without being showy, and i like his ability of making the absurd feel relatable 😆. These stories hit on themes of connection, memory, and identity. If you like short stories that makes you laugh, think, and maybe reread a few lines out loud 🤓, this one’s for you.

*I read this arc via NetGalley & @randomhouse . It publishes July 29. I will definitely be buying a copy for my shelves - this cover is fantastic. 💙🩵🧡 🩷

*Rated 3.25 on sites that allow quarter stars. For me, 3 stars means “I liked it.”*

As with all short story collections, some of these stories really hit and some of them were just alright. Of course, I had some favorites: The Wife on Ambien, Machine City, An Accurate Account, and Eat, Pray, Click.

The first three of my favorites were quite funny, and I loved that Machine City took place in New Haven, Connecticut, and even mentioned East Rock, the neighborhood I lived in for several years and mostly remember fondly. Eat, Pray, Click, a story about a man whose friend had a dream of revolutionizing the way ebooks are read, was interesting and strange and made me wonder if I’d enjoy reading an ebook that way (the answer is probably no).

While I enjoyed the collection overall, I couldn’t help but feel like I wasn’t smart enough for it, like something about most of the stories was going over my head, flying juuust out of reach. Like I could almost grasp it but was slightly missing the point Ed Park was trying to make. Unless he wasn’t trying to make a point? But he probably was. Right? Yeah, probably.

Inventive, satirical, and ambitious. Park’s novel plays with form and myth in ways that challenge and reward. It’s not always easy to follow, but the originality is undeniable. For readers who enjoy metafiction and layered storytelling

“An Oral History of Atlantis” is a collection of short stories by Ed Park. One of my issues with reviewing works of short stories is that some I really like and others are meh, nearly always resulting in a three star rating. There were different types of writing styles - letters, snippets of daily life, conversations - so I felt like I had a variety of Mr. Park’s writing. Some of the stories were outright bizarre and confusing, while others dealt with friendship, relationships, and literature. I think that if Mr. Park is on your list of authors to read, this might be a great way to be introduced to his work.

A funny, original, and surreal collection of short stories with loose connections that will leave you wanting more.

Ed Park's "An Oral History of Atlantis" is a brilliant, witty collection of stories that slice through the everyday to reveal profound truths. From a college student questioning if he's a robot ("Machine City") to a man remembering his life through passwords ("Slide to Unlock"), Park's characters navigate the absurdities of modern existence with humor and heart.

An Oral History of Atlantis will be a hit for readers that love short stories. Many of the stories follow a different genre, which is nice and offers variety and allows the reader to see the scope of writing abilities in Park. For me, some of the short stories hit more than others, but that is typically in a collection. Do think readers will enjoy Park.

What an interesting collection of stories. I really enjoyed the variety and a few really made me think. Thank you for the opportunity to read this. Well done.b

It’s a good collection of stories. They are all different and give an interesting perspective on the mundane aspects of life. Some are better than others, but there would likely be something to meet a variety of likes.

This was my first experience with Ed Park, and despite the hype suspect it will be my last. I must not be clever enough by half, because these stories felt completely random and out there to me... I did enjoy the way he played with language, but snarky turns of phrase and clever constructs do not, for me, a story make. The writing felt disjointed - random for the sake of being random (and ditto on clever).

Incidentally, I realize I've used the word "clever" many times in this short review, but that was my overwhelming sense while reading: this is a man who is exceedingly clever and wants everyone to know it. That's fine, and I do applaud it because the turns of phrase are, in many instances, exceptionally clever and they made me smile and smirk, but on the whole I found the experience not to my taste.

I'm not a regular reader of short stories, and that may be part of it. I'm also a fan of a more traditional narrative style. I knew these things going in, but even accounting for that, I struggled to find the meaning here - unless the point was that there often is no point...

A collection of immersive short stories - many leaving you ever so slightly on edge as the tales wove across each chapter.

Short story collections are always hit-or-miss for me, but this one was an unexpected delight and one of the best I've ever read. The stories were loosely connected, often very funny, and always deeply weird. I haven't read Park's Pulitzer-nominated novel yet, but I'm adding it to my TBR because I'd love to see where he takes his stories when he has a longer run with the characters. (And I read this while I was on vacation in Paris, so it will always have an extra-fond place in my memory!)

This was my first time reading Ed Park and I enjoyed it! An interesting and, at times, funny, collection of short stories that demonstrate the author's talent through range. All the stories were different - in either themes, length, or topics. You never knew what you were going to get! Though not all the stories landed for me, I enjoyed the time I spent with this book.

I received an ARC of this collection from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"I have seen things I never wished to see, and every night I hear the ocean."

This is the perfect short story collection to me. Stories range from 2 page missives to 30 page character studies, exploring a plethora of genres throughout. I was thoroughly entertained and wish this collection was longer! The writing is excellent, each story had its own distinct ambiance and I will certainly be picking up more Ed Park in the future.

3.5 stars

This is an intriguing collection of short stories that live up to their name. I really enjoyed how succinct these were. This made the collection particularly readable. The tradeoff is that the reader may be left wanting a little more development at times, but overall, these will keep audiences engaged.

These may run a little "artistic" or "literary" for some, but more experienced readers will appreciate the techniques and choices here.

A really gorgeous collection of short stories. I love short stories and found these ones especially fun to read.

The experience as a whole was immersive and even a bit hallucinatory—characters that you could have dreamt about before in a very strange dream, but written believably enough that they might actually live around the corner from you. My favorites were "The Wife on Ambien", "The Gift", and "Watch Your Step".

Park's writing is witty, experienced and imaginative. I'm confident that certain descriptions will be living rent free in my head for a while.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!