Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’m not typically drawn to short story collections, and even when I get excited about new books, I rarely read ARCs more than a month in advance of pub day. And yet when I saw I was approved for this title, I downloaded it and started it almost immediately, even though it doesn’t come out until July.

While I enjoyed these stories, I feel poorly equipped to review them. I mostly felt like they went over my head, which is sadly reinforcing my opinion that I should be wary of short stories, or at least read them with a buddy in the future. These did in fact feel like an oral history in the most literal sense, in that they narrated the mundane, everyday lives of ordinary people. I enjoyed seeing how small details and characters showed up across different stories. And I would venture a guess that the author was doing a lot here that I completely missed. If you’re more confident with short stories than I am, or already a fan of Ed Park, I’d recommend trying this one.

To steal a bit from this book, it's baffling. I started reading it without reading the description or having any idea what it's about. And now I've finished it and I still don't know what it's about.

The stories all have a hazy quality, like waking up from a dream and trying to hang on to what you remember. It's like some past that's not quite right; a familiar world but off kilter.

The stories are strange, poetic in a way, and sometimes absurdly funny. It took me too long to figure out but some are loosely connected. Maybe they all are, who knows.

My favorite was Machine City. I liked the one about a kindle with shuffle mode or something too.

I didn't understand this book at all but it's creative and weird and left me feeling dazed in a good way. I don't think it'll be for everyone but it is what is, right?

An Oral History of Atlantis is a collection of sixteen stories. I was drawn to the cover, intrigued by the blurbs for “Machine City” and “Slide to Unlock,” and looking forward to exploring their themes. I’m not sure how to describe the particular sub-genre of sci-fi/speculative fiction that I’m drawn to, but maybe: techno-existentialism and philosophical sci-fi.

Unfortunately, this collection fell short for me. The stories felt more like ideas than fully developed stories and were all missing something for me.

The idea of algorithmic reading from “Eat Pray Click” intrigued me the most. As an avid reader, algorithmic reading sounds like some fresh hell, but I’m still fascinated by the idea and would love to explore how that would work logistically/programmatically, as well as what this reflects about technology and humanity today, and the intended and unintended consequences of such technology.

For me to say of a book, "I've never read anything like it," should, in most cases, be taken as an indictment of how little I've read. In this case, however, it may be fair to say that Ed Park's upcoming collection, An Oral History of Atlantis, is simply nonpareil.

Early on, I tried to categorize and analogize what I was reading. Perhaps there was a hint of Nabokov's Charles Kinbote in the indignant letter writer of the first story, the hilarious "A Note to my Translator"? Maybe the second story, "Bring on the Dancing Horses," about a melancholy middle-aged man, could be called Murakami-esque? I soon had to give up, as the bulk of this collection exists in a world all its own.

Several of the stories are formally unique, such as "Weird Menace," a transcript of the director's commentary for an old B-movie. The rest are unique in their contents. Who else could imagine an island solely inhabited by scholars on an archaeological dig, every one of whom is named Tina? Or a midget who trails a Dutch writer through a snow-covered Manhattan and discovers a peep show that moves him to tears, the subject of which you would not guess if I gave a thousand tries?

I loved An Oral History of Atlantis, and I intend to pick up a copy of Park's Same Bed Different Dreams in the very near future. The stories were funny and poignant and depressing and deeply, deeply, strange. I've never read anything like it.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'ee found myself reading more and more short story collections as of late. Something about the format and how quickly you can get through any individual story had been really appealing to me, especially since I've been in a reading slump. An Oral History of Atlantis sounded interesting so I decided to request it on NetGalley. I don't think the synopsis even slightly prepared me for this collection.

Most of the stories were great, interesting reads, but the collection really comes together as a whole. Many stories reference each other and have all these connections that you pick up on as your read. Although that may be overselling it a bit, the connections are small, and the references feel more like easter eggs. And its actually my biggest problem with the collection, sometimes the easter eggs took away from my reading experience of any individual story because i was trying to figure out if there were larger tie-ins throughout the book.

I never really did figure this out, I'm sure there would be more to gain on a re-read but thats not really my thing. All in all though an enjoyable collection.

I honestly do not know how to describe this book. I will admit it is a bit hard to follow, but in that sense, the book demonstrates Park’s ideas on life, art, literature, and absurdity. Reminiscent of a more cognizant Ulysses and other stories that switch points of view without expressly saying it, this book was incredibly imaginative and humorous. For fans of philosophy, film, dry humor, and books in general, An Oral History of Atlantis is a delightful and quick read.

I love a fresh, spunky short story collection. Imaginative and immensely worth a dive into the world of Park.

Gorgeous cover art to mirror a gorgeous collection of observations of a daily life. I'm not usually one to read short stories collections, but this one was cheeky, surreal, imaginative, equally light-hearted and tragic—and I had a great time with each one.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the ARC.

Perhaps the strangest collection of short stories this reader has encountered, this is a hard book to categorize, but an easy book to love. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, often sardonic, absurd and always wildly inventive, these short stories contain some repeating characters and straddle situations, including those involving: inane academic gobbledy-gook; communication misfirings; outcasts and nomads; Korean spies; college students reckonings; and of course, lovers and the vulnerable (sometimes where you least expect them).

Within these pages you’re as likely to meet an erudite author sparring with his Machiavellian translator as you are to encounter an ice-in-her-veins lesbian freelance journalist (who is also a Korean spy); seventeen professional translators, all women named “Tina”, living on a remote island; a modified kindle with an ulterior motive; a heartbreakingly lonely midget with a mission; or an irreverent sibling (with an equally strange girlfriend) and a very poor grasp of the internet.

Cheeky, surreal, imaginative, equally light-hearted and tragic, the stories are in some ways reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut, or John Irving, - leading to a rarified collection that is hard to put down, and a wonderful treat to spend time with.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC for this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

*** four and a half shiny stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House (Will) for the ARC of An Oral History of Atlantis.

Short stories are wonderful. I love them. There's nothing like reading a short narrative piece that can encompass all of humanity's greatness or decadence in 2500 words or less. Short stories have made me laugh, have brought a tear to my eye, and have made me contemplate my own mortality. You can't help but admire a writer who can take you on a satisfying emotional ride in such a limited amount of printed pages.

Short story collections, though, are another thing. While you may come across a story in this magazine or that journal, a collection gathers stories together in one place. Unless you follow a writer closely, chances are pretty good that you won't have read all the stories available in a collection. Now side-by-side, the short stories live among their kin. So although they still resonate as individual pieces, the stories can't help but bleed a little into one another. The stories together contribute to the tone of the collection. So while an individual story may have been a little unsettling alone in a magazine, that story, along with all the others in a collection, will create a greater sense of unease as one reads through the collection. Whatever the feeling of an individual story, it's tone will be heightened and amplified by the totality of the collection.

Ed Park's An Oral History of Atlantis is one of those short story collections where I'm not sure if there isn't more going on than what's on the printed pages. I can see from the front matter of the book that many of the short stories were originally published in a wide variety of places, and although no dates are given I assume the stories were written over several years. But gathered together, many of the stories share traits, for lack of a better word, that often made me pause while reading as I tried to remember what other story had that same name or phrase.

Taken individually, Ed Park's short stories are funny, absurd, and witty. They are definitely sharp, as in intellectually. Some of them made me question my own intelligence as I had no idea what was going on. But they were all entertaining. "The Wife on Ambien" is very funny, and "An Accurate Account" is an example of a story where Park channels a stand-up comedian delivering an extended set piece to its humorous conclusion. There are also some stories that go a little deeper into human connections (or lack of) while still being quite funny such as "Machine City", "The Air as Air", and "Two Laptops" that demonstrate Park's ability to create pathos even in absurd situations.

But back to the traits. If you read the short stories one after another in a relatively short space of time, you will hear in your mind certain names, places, and phrases repeated throughout the collection. Sometimes these traits are identical, sometimes they are very familiar. Characters from different stories share certain preferences. I won't go into detail because that would spoil the fun, but you will spot these traits if you read An Oral History of Atlantis. Of course, these traits might not be anything at all, mere coincidence. But I'm not so sure. Did Ed Park know one day all his short stories would be gathered in one collection and therefore decided to link them in some way? Are they really not short stories but just pieces in a much larger literary piece? Or has reading An Oral History of Atlantis scrambled my brain? Most likely.

An Oral History of Atlantis is an entertaining, smart collection. Read it when you need a good laugh or confirmation that the world is a mad, beautiful thing.

This collection of short stories was imaginative and fun. They all had unique character voices and stories. Some of which were reflective and dark like the penultimate ’Slide to Unlock’ while others had a more humorous style ‘A Note to My Translator’. Overall an enjoyable collection that I could jump into whenever I wanted a unique short story.

Hot on the heels of his Pulitzer Prize-finalist masterwork, Same Bed Different Dreams, Ed Park returns with this superb short fiction collection. Twelve of the sixteen stories have been published elsewhere over the past 20+ years, but all were new to me.

Whether it’s the transcription of a DVD commentary on a cult classic science fiction film (“Weird Menace”) or a letter from an exasperated author to his overzealous translator (“A Note to My Translator”), no two stories are alike. Yet each delivers Park’s acerbic wit, sharp sense of irony, and keen eye for riffing on the mundanities of everyday life. With such variety, every reader is sure to find something to love here.

Favorite stories: “A Note to My Translator,” “The Gift,” “Bring on the Dancing Horses”

From the first piece — the increasingly bewildered musings to a book's translator that made up the prologue — I was hooked. Ed Park's writing is funny. Witty. Quirky. This was one of those books I spotted browsing Edelweiss and thought, I might as well try it. I was rewarded for my curiosity with amusing, sometimes thought-provoking stories.

I'm particularly fond of the the letters scattered in, but Slide to Unlock was perhaps my favorite as I absolutely understand the password madness then laughed at how it wrapped up. If quirky short fiction is your thing, pick up An Oral History of Atlantis.

And then try to put it down before it's finished.

I think this is a definite case of "It's not you, it's me".

I have been looking forward to reading Same Bed Different Dreams ever since it was published, so I was super excited to get this ARC even though short stories can be really hit or miss for me.

I have to admit, most of it probably went straight over my head. Despite their obvious literary quality, I just found I couldn't connect to most of these stories.

I am still excited to read SBDD, and I will be on the lookout for whatever the author publishes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I love and collection of stories to pace out my reading themes. This was a very creative collection filled with eccentric themes and different ideas. Sometimes the overall message was hard to grasp, but after thorough reflection and a few rereads of certain passages, it eventually gets there.

If you want to put your mind to work and also experience a beautiful style of storytelling, pick this up!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this eARC!

I enjoyed reading these stories. Some clicked for me more than others but I found them to be creative and well written. It presented some interesting ideas that sometimes were funny. Definitely would check out more of this author’s work. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Ed Park is a uniquely imaginative and masterful writer. My introduction to his work, like many readers, was the wild, prize-winning "Same Bed, Different Dreams" -- a mind-blowing labyrinth of a novel that I had to reread, in sections, multiple times. The historical background was enlightening and beautifully utilized as the backdrop to the elaborate story (along with the most creative forms of mixed media).

Therefore, I had no doubt, when I requested this forthcoming story collection, that it would be a wonderful experience. I was not disappointed.

A few of the stories, including the first, are flat-out hilarious and with the lead-off story being written in borrowed form (as a letter) ”A Note to My Translator” it felt like embarking on a fun adventure. I was instantly tuned in and ready to read on. And I couldn’t help but feel this story contained some kernels of actual experience mixed into the obvious hyperbole.

My favorite stories in the collection had a touch of the surreal and Park’s trademark humor (sometimes clever, at other times zany). Like many of my favorite collections, small details reappear throughout different stories (like little easter eggs) and that always feels like a gift for paying close attention. I love when writers take the time and care to include gems like these.

My favorite story within the collection was “The Air as Air” which was rich with metaphor, humor, and deep aching emotion. This was a story I read twice.
“The jukebox kicked in. Some song I used to hate, but at the moment it made me sad. It pinned me down.”

I found all of the stories compelling and a few were simply outstanding. Park’s writing is straight up relatable in so many ways. In "Seven Women" a psychoanalyst explains, when asked, what it is that she does: “’Sometimes people tell stories and they leave out the feelings – My job is to show them where the feelings are.’” Just brilliant.

One magical element of the story included an algorithmic Kindle that vibes readers reactions in real time and continuously meets their reading interests and expectations (Eat, Pray, Click) and in another a favorite professor mysteriously receives a fortune cookie with the murky yet straightforward message “It is what it is.” This sentiment comes into play on a few occasions within the collection.

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the ARC of this amazing collection – on shelves 7/29/2025. A must-read story collection.

Park's writing is assertive and confident, which is helpful when the stories are enigmatic and confounding. I enjoyed how some of the stories were subtly connected through the mention of a place or character, and really liked the stories with the non-traditional narrative structures ("Weird Menace" framed as the transcript of a movie commentary). Some of the stories I found challenging to follow with little to no through-line--like the stories were written to be eccentric for eccentrics sake, often times insisting upon itself. Some stand-outs that I did enjoy were "The Gift", "An Accurate Account" , and "Slide to Unlock." Overall, while several stories failed to make an impression with me, the collection felt unified and grounded with a shared message (even if it was a message I didn't quite grasp at times).

“In our dreams everything is under lit and poorly acted”
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While the quote above may be true, Ed Park’s upcoming short story collection is anything but. In these stories, you find yourself amongst a wide variety of characters and situations that seem normal, but with just a quarter turn to the strange. A random coincidence or a circumstance that is weird enough to be both believable and unbelievable at the same time.

The stories in this novel range far and wide. From a discussion between an author and translator, an admission of illegitimate fatherhood, an island of researchers all named Tina, a veteran who is struggling to face his father while leaning on cultish breathing practices, and a recount of a college film project. Throughout all these stories Ed Park paints the pictures of these bizarre situations and characters in a way where they are strange, but you end up relating to everyone of them. He tackles everything that matters - love, family, nostalgia, purpose, relationships all in a way that leaves you wanting more.

One thing I love about Park’s writing in this collection is the casual wit he writes with. There is a lot of innuendo and wise cracking in the surface, but there is still a lot under the surface. You can read a paragraph through one time and snort with laughter, while being cut to the bone on the second read though.

Overall, I thought this was a great short story and wonderful follow-up to his 2023 work Same Bed Different Dreams. Go ahead and add it to your TBR in 2025.

I don’t think I truly understood any of this but I had such a fun time reading it. It was so unique, I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review