Literary Scene: Three New Short Story Collections

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | April 2023

The People Who Report More Stress: Stories
by Alejandro Varela • (Astra House, April 2023)

Maybe I’m simply more attuned to the word “stress” these days, but this title—and its graphic yellow cover—called to me. What I found inside this book were 13 short stories that showcase the role that stress, anxiety, and pressure play in urban life, queer life, and the world of immigrants in America. Now, that makes the book sound didactic, I realize, but that’s not the case for most of these stories.  

While the promotional material around this book advertises The People Who Report More Stress as being made up of interconnected stories, some of these stories don’t feature the primary couple (Gus and Eduardo). Regardless, there’s just enough range of topics here to keep things interesting, even though I’m not sure the Gus and Eduardo in these stories are the same Gus and Eduardo throughout. Perhaps that’s a strength? It keeps me wondering, for sure.

There’s a frustration here in that the characters face ongoing social injustices and inequalities, but just as things often are in the real world, they’re unable to do much about these things. In short there are no easy answers. 

The new collection from the author of The Town of Babylon is intriguing and provocative. If you decide to give this a shot, I’d begin by reading “The Man in 512” and “Comrades.”

Ryan’s Rating: 4.25 out of 5

When Trying to Return Home
by Jennifer Maritza McCauley • (Counterpoint, February 2023)

Most of the time, I review books by people whose work I’ve encountered at some level before. With Jennifer Maritza McCauley’s new book, When Trying to Return Home, I took a total leap. I’ve never run into her writing before but the cover and idea behind this book just grabbed me.

**Upon further reflection, I realize the above point is untrue. About five years back, I picked up a copy of an anthology of stories inspired by Johnny Cash to read work in it by my writer friends Tom Hazuka and Lynne Barrett. I’m now fairly sure I read beyond those two contributions and ran across McCauley’s “I Don’t Where I’m Bound” in those pages.**

With this collection, McCauley starts strong with “Torsion,” the first story in the book, which features two memorable characters.

“Mama: a beweaved hair technician who barely made rent at our apartment on the Hill, who had two kids from two different daddies.”

“Me: a part-time Eat N’ Park waitress…who made the Gazette once for saying, ‘He wasn’t all bad,’ about her ex-boyfriend who’d robbed a Texaco.”

The Black and Afro-Puerto Rican characters in these stories—which sometimes span generations—explore the idea of freedom, home, and belonging in powerful ways. At times, their voices are so strong that one wonders how they could possibly go unheard for so long. 

One more observation: The men in the world(s) of this story have a sameness to them that might be intentional, though some readers will find it to be detrimentally one note. 

Still, there’s a lot to dig into with the stories in When Trying to Return Home. If you decide to join McCauley on these journeys, let me know what you think.

Ryan’s Rating: 4 out of 5

White Cat, Black Dog: Stories
by Kelly Link • (Random House, March 2023)

Let it be said now and forever that I’m a Kelly Link fan. She’s endlessly imaginative, and her writing is captivating. These aspects are on full display in her new collection, White Cat, Black Dog. The seven stories here are inspired by fairy tales (esp. from the Brothers Grimm and Scottish ballads) that explore the hidden depths of the human experience in away one expects from a Link story. 

I’m probably biased about this topic, but I’m especially drawn to “The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear” which features a sickly professor who’s stuck in an airport hotel for days on end. Another clear winner is “Skinder’s Veil,” which is about a man who takers over a remote house-sitting job only to find that the house might just be a portal for otherworldly travelers. 

These stories have been previously published in various ways—for example, “The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear” appeared in Tin House in 2019—so ardent readers or fans of Link’s might’ve encountered one or more before. Still, they’re worthy of a rereading, so don’t let the already-read-it potential prove daunting.

A pleasant bonus to this collection is the illustrations by award-winning artist Shaun Tan. So evocative!

Link received the MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for a reason, folks. Give this book a chance and you’ll surely see why. Link’s writing is taut as ever, and these characters will linger long after the book is closed.

Ryan’s Rating: 4.75 out of 5