Book cover of My Father's Tears and Other Stories

Book description

A sensational collection of stories of the American experience from the Depression to the aftermath of 9/11, by one of the most gifted American writers of the twentieth century and the author of the acclaimed Rabbit series.

John Updike mingles narratives of Pennsylvania with stories of New England suburbia and…

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Why read it?

1 author picked My Father's Tears and Other Stories as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is Updike’s last collection of short stories and suitably enough aging is a frequent theme.

Everything from the bittersweet experience of high school class reunions to the nightly routine of an old man are told in Updike’s sharply observant and richly descriptive prose. He brilliantly elevates the ordinary while recapturing both the fascination and sadness of people thinking back on their experiences, from childhood to past relationships. 

Set in foreign places as well as Updike’s native Pennsylvania, these are stories to read slowly while taking in the always touching prose and getting to know a cast of at once…

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December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

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