If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This: Stories

by Robin Black

Book Overview

FINALIST FOR THE FRANK O'CONNOR SHORT STORY AWARD NOW WITH AN ADDITIONAL STORY Heralding the arrival of a stunning new voice in American fiction, If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This takes readers into the minds and hearts of people navigating the unsettling transitions that life presents to us all: A father struggles to forge an independent identity as his blind daughter prepares for college. A mother comes to terms with her adult daughter's infidelity...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812980689
• ISBN13: 9780812980684
• Release Date: April 2011
• Publisher: Random House Group
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

The Debut Work of a Master

If the author of this first book were revealed to be a veteran writer of dozens of great novels and short story collections, I would not be the least bit surprised. "If I Loved You" reads like the master work of a Great Author; indeed, though a debut, it is just that.

An unforgettable collection

I'm always delighted to discover an author whose voice is pitch perfect. Each story dares to reach beyond the usual and defies expectation. I will be a lifetime fan of Robin Black.

Wonderful and poignantly touching collection of stories.

I'm sure my fellow subway riders were curious as to what could make a grown man well up while he's reading, but some of these topics can be a little heavy, (cancer, loss of a spouse, alcoholism, etc.), however, the writing serves the reader in building a desire to "press on" and finish. Her words in these essays are so carefully, purposefully, and perfectly chosen that it's a joy and a credit to English language. The stories reveal a tenderness, caring that anyone who has "loved and lost" will identify with. This is a great book to share with someone.

Must have for serious writers and readers

This book affords an opportunity to see a master writer at work. These stories employ different voices, different points of view, and different structures. The craft of fiction writing, in the hands of an expert, is fully on display. The stories are deep, rich, and psychologically true. The characters are complex and interesting. And there is humor, which only adds to the luxurious texture of these pieces and heightens their emotional punch. Finally, each story examines the very human process of overcoming the difficulties that life hurls at us. If in your copy you highlight all of the remarkable passages, there won't be a single unmarked page.

Treasures

The exquisite prose engages you but it is the unforgettable characters and their human dilemmas that stay with you. Sometimes disturbing, the stories always leave you with the gift of letting you in on the characters' intimate thoughts and feelings. The characters are convincing, whether they be adolescent girls , middle aged men,or aging women. Within the space of each short story, the author is able to create a world that is both familiar and fresh.