Title
Life And Other Shortcomings
Author:
Corie Adjmi
Publisher:
She Writes Press
Format:
Print Copy
Page Count:
155
About the Book:
Life and Other Shortcomings is a collection of linked short stories that takes the reader from New Orleans to New York City to Madrid, and from the 1970’s to the present day. The women in these twelve stories make a number of different choices; some work, others don’t; some stay married, some get divorced; others never marry at all. Through each character’s intimate journey, specific truths are revealed about what it means to be a woman- in a relationship with another person, in a particular culture and era- and how these conditions ultimately affect her relationship with herself. The stories as a whole depict patriarchy, showing what still might be and certainly what was for some women in this country before the #MeToo movement. Both a cautionary tale and a captivating window into women’s lives, Life and Other Shortcomings is required for anyone interested in an honest, incisive, and compelling portrayal of the female experience.
About the Author:
Corie Adjmi grew up in New Orleans. She started writing in her thirties, and her award-winning fiction and personal essays have appeared in over two dozen publications, including North America Review, Indiana Review, South Dakota Review, and more recently, HuffPost and Man Repeller. In 2019, Life and Other Shortcomings was a finalist for the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for short fiction from BkMk Press. When she is not writing, Corie does volunteer work, cooks, draws, bikes, and hikes. She and her husband have five children and a number of grandchildren, with more on the way. She lives and works in New York City.
Review:
Life and Other Shortcomings is a collection of short stories that starts with the “Dinner Conversation”. Three couples having dinner together in New York City at a new upscale restaurant where no topic is off limits. As you progress through the rest of the short stories in the book we see these people throughout different stages of their lives from childhood to present day.
The book highlights what women go through on a day to day basis and how things affect us on so many different levels, physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. The best thing about this book is that every woman can relate to something. Whether we have gone through it personally or have known a family member or friend who has been through something similar.
This book does not shy away from the hard hitting topics. We see the women through these short stories tackle and begin to question their religious beliefs and how it affects them mentally as well as at a spiritual level.
Through their ups and downs of raising kids, dealing with illness,witnessing physical abuse at the hands of a spouse during their childhood, and suffering from a lack of self confidence due to the opinions of the world we live in and the opinions of their husbands.
Life and Other Shortcomings poignantly points out everything we as women have been taught to be the “norm” for generations and teaches the reader that it’s okay to question things, to take care of yourself and realize that the only way to have confidence is to take it!
The author is able to pull on the heartstrings and make the characters in this book come to life and we get to go along for the ride. You will be cheering the women on as you read through each of these stories. I highly recommend this book! Definitely a five star book.
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