Welcome to Litsy!

These are the most satisfying short stories I have ever read.

I‘ve waited too late to review this book. I don‘t remember much at all about it. Was it not memorable? Or was it that the short stories, being short stories, didn‘t take as much time to read so more quickly left my memory banks? I better remember books I read before this one so I‘m perplexed. Well, I do recall liking the book, it was compelling, but mostly sad. It felt like no spark of joy exists in #Haiti or amongst Haitians. Perhaps that‘s ⬇️

💚💚💚💚Edwidge Danticat

My next audiobook. #Haiti #readingtheAmericas @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

This was the first read from my pile of library books that I picked up last week. You‘re so right, Barbara, this book was fabulous! I hadn‘t even realised that they were short stories until I started it, and each one was wonderful.

I definitely need to read more by this author.

#readingtheamericas23
#haiti

While I normally love Danticat‘s work, this just didn‘t grab me: maybe because the stories are set more in the US than Haiti. There were a few that were really moving, but many of them had characters I couldn‘t develop much interest in.
#Booked2023 #ShortStories
#ReadingTheAmericas #Haiti

Excellent short story collection.

Edwige Danticat offers beautifully crafted snippets of life. Her short stories mostly focus on the Haitian diaspora. She manages through her stories to evoke tragedy, nostalgia, hopes, solidarity, love.

Beautifully written. Highly recommend.

#foodandlit. Tagged for #Haiti. @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks

Not my favorite of Danticat‘s but still really good. She has such a way to really weave a scene and a place.

Thought provoking and heart wrenching short stories.

Absolutely loved this. Short stories are not usually my thing, but each one was perfectly formed. Heartbreaking and thought provoking - so good.

I have been on a short story kick as of late. This was a short story collection of stories of people from Haiti and what living in the Island has meant for them, what it means to go home and how death shapes their lives and their relationships. This was a heart wrenching series of stories.

I‘m delighted that I‘ve been able to read two books of short stories recently that I‘ve thoroughly enjoyed, a rarity for me. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies and now this book. As a result, I‘m on the hunt to find more of Danticat‘s work. Each story filled with Haitians describing their lives, each story worthy of a novel. I thought of the characters afterwards, wanting to know more. That, to me, is the sign of a great short story.

Yes.

#midyearfaves

I am posting 1 of my 10 favorite books of the year so far - with a few thoughts on them.

Short stories are hit or miss for me. Everything Inside is one of the best short stories book I‘ve ever read. I loved each one of them, all characters the theme (loss) and the Haitian setting. Perfection.

#abstractart #curiouscovers #littenlisten

#BookReport 19/21

It‘s been a good reading week. The tagged book was a 5⭐️ for me, I also enjoyed Miss Buncle and All Things Cease to Appear a lot. The Afghanistan one was okay.

Loss and grief are the central themes in each of the stories that make up this book. Loss of memory, of a homeland (Haiti), a life, a loved one, an illusion, a dream. Followed by the grief of how to deal with this loss, this book really tells everything there is inside. Besides, Danticat brings her characters to life in such a way that I literally came to love them and felt like I understood each one of them. What an achievement. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m not much on short stories but I really enjoyed this book. The stories surrounding the different realities of people from Haiti. There were a variety of stories and discussing the different experiences that people go through as immigrants, or life in Haiti (particularly after the earthquake), returning to life in Haiti. I‘ve never read a book about life in Haiti so it was interesting and enlightening to learn more about this country. #bookspin

Ok I‘m in ... I enjoyed this first story ! I‘m loving the second....
“ ...they all began singing again .. about gathering at a river where angels tread on crystal tides ...
They sang of laying their burdens down at this river and receiving a hard-earned robe and a crown from God.”

I can‘t put it down either 👍🏻❤️ @Cinfhen

As far as a ss collection goes this is VERY READABLE ♥️Every story was full bodied and offered something meaningful and insightful about human nature as well as life in Haiti or as a Haitian immigrant. I‘m generally not a fan of short stories but I appreciated what the author created. Still #BorrowNotBuy #ImpromptuBuddyRead #Pop21 #SomethingAboutForgetting #SwapMe

I still have a few hours left on my audiobook but I picked up this slim ss collection with my morning coffee and now I can‘t put it down. #ImpromptuBuddyRead It doesn‘t seem to be interconnected ( disappointing) but nevertheless im intrigued with the writing & storytelling. I‘ve read the first 5 stories @Cathythoughts and I‘ve liked 1,4 & 5. Stories 2 & 3 were ok. What are your thoughts so far??

Hi @Cathythoughts I‘ll probably pick this book up tomorrow for our #impromptuBuddyRead unless you prefer i wait until Sunday or another day next week?!? Whatever works for you... I have PLENTY of options 😘

Thank you so much @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego for such a sweet #LittleChristmasSwap package! I have been wanting to read this book for a while and the chocolate looks so delicious that it will take all of my willpower not to gobble it up for breakfast! Thank you for giving me one last treat to enjoy this holiday season!

A million thanks to @bookish_wookish for organizing this fun swap!!

Is this a #BlameItOnMeg purchase??!?! I can‘t remember why I ordered this book, but it sounds like my jam....interconnected short stories 💜

Just finished rereading this short story collection. It is by far my favorite that I read this year. It‘s one of those 5⭐️ books that gives you a new perspective and a new favorite story each time. Highly recommend!

I do a lot of rereading in December. 😀

This is my November #BookSpinBingo card. I don't think I posted it even once. I'm just missing 2 free squares. So 23 books is kind of a lot.

🍕=ok (not any reflection on pizza, which is awesome)
😊=good
🌟=very good
❤=amazing

Tagged is my favorite of this group.

@TheAromaofBooks

This book is so freaking beautiful. I can't possibly do it justice in a tiny little blurb. It's a book of previously published stories. It's basically life in the US from a Haitian perspective. All of the stories are vastly different from each other, but that's the theme that ties it all together. Not that she needed one.

#BookSpinBingo square 9
@TheAromaofBooks

I think short stories must be very difficult to write. You have very little space to shape the characters, to show their lifes through a moment, to get the reader to connect with them...but when a short story is well written, it's great. This book contains some of those. Each story shows a very emotional moment on each character's life and at the same time gives you a glimpse into the Haitian culture and their life and feelings as emigrants.

I best consume a book of short stories best over days reading just one section at a time. I really enjoyed these tales based in Haitian culture. My favorite was called The Gift, about a Miami art teacher having an affair with a Haitian man. The earthquake happens while Thoma returns to Haiti to speak to his wife - and nothing can ever be what it was before.

Just not for me. Read a 1/3 snd wasn't invested enough to continue.

⭐️

• #ReeseWitherspoon Book Club August 2020 pick

From the Publisher:
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD From the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author of Brother, I'm Dying, a collection of vividly imagined stories about community, family, and love. Rich with hard-won wisdom and humanity, set in locales from Miami and Port-au-Prince to a small unnamed country in the Caribbean and beyond

This is probably not going to be a popular review for this much-praised book, but it just didn‘t grab me. Several short stories told from the point of view of Haitians from different walks of life. I leave this one feeling dull and a bit sad. #reesewitherspoonbookclub

This was the August pick for Reese Witherspoon‘s Instagram book club. Edwidge Danticat introduced each week‘s 2 stories, which enhanced the reading experience. Each short story is a little gem and a good jumping off point for more by this author. She highlights the Haitian culture and experience, be it in Haiti or the U.S. or other ports of call. These stories are personal and touching. A wonderful collection. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Short story collections are usually hit or miss for me. Surprisingly though, the entire collection of short stories in this book I thoroughly enjoyed. I enjoyed them so much that if ever the author were to expand on any of the stories, I‘d readily read the full length novel. I can see why Reese Witherspoon chose this book for her book club. Now I need to pick up some books on the history of Haiti.

Wow...just wow. This is one of the best short story collections I‘ve ever read, and I love short stories.

Her words float. Her touch is light but moving. Not a word is out of place, not a thing is wild, just eight miniature novels. The pictures she draws and the emotions she evokes are pitch perfect.

I‘ll be thinking about Hot-Air Balloons for days, if not weeks. Superb. An easy 5⭐️

This was a quick read as it‘s a collection of short stories. All very moving and worth reading. I enjoyed this book club selection.

Danticat‘s writing is direct and the stories contained in this collection peal back the layers of the heart. As the characters live in a world full of injustice, it isn‘t so much that their stories end with twists, more that they take us to inevitable reveals. #hellosunshine #Haiti

I love short stories, the messy beginnings and unfulfilled endings make up some of my favorite things about books. Everything Inside is one of the best ones I‘ve read with my favorites being Sunrise, Sunset and The Port-au-Prince Marriage Special. The open ending to the stories give me tons of room to imagine and it‘s my favorite Reese Witherspoon pick of the year I‘ve read so far!

Current read. #shortstories

More surprise #book mail!

Yesterday was rough emotionally- there are really no good choices in terms of how we do school (for both teachers and students) in the fall. Anxiety is high- worried about my job and my own kids. So of course I felt like perusing a bookstore to make myself feel better. These are the books I found! It‘s a good haul and it made me feel better!

Trying to be ok with uncertainty but it‘s so hard...

Since quarantine has started, I have been really enjoying the Busboys and Friends: Virtual Dinner Party every Friday at 6pm. After watching the conversation with Edwidge Danticata couple of weeks ago, I had to read her latest short story collection. It is amazing!

I started this #shortstory collection today and realized that the first one was also included in 'One World Two' collection. I enjoyed it the second time round just as much.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Read first short story and bam, she‘s knocked my socks off again. Absolutely love her writing!💚📚