Will I love Honeydew?

A testament to why short stories are so essential to readers and writers, Pearlman is masterful in sketching a setting in a short burst like opening a window or a door that feels like an invitation into a watershed moment in one of her character's lives.

And what characters! Average, humble people, but Pearlman takes you directly into their dignity and the largeness of their lives and conflicts, and she does it with a humor and intimacy that makes you feel like you know them.

Edith Pearlman is a gem. These 20 beautifully written and fascinating short stories delve into the moments that matter most in everyday life. Read them one at a time or all together like a mosaic for modern women. Pearlman’s characters – men women and children – are all unique, and also extraordinary, in their way, and all mirror our own realities. Across the globe and across time, her tales are so true and so wise, I love reading them again and again, especially when I have little time and need a touch of literary magic.