Reasons to Live

by Amy Hempel

Book Overview

Hempel's now-classic collection of short fiction is peopled by complex characters who have discovered that their safety nets are not dependable and who must now learn to balance on the threads of wit, irony, and spirit.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060976721
• ISBN13: 9780060976729
• Release Date: July 1995
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Queen of the short story

Thank goodness for Amy Hempel, egging on those of us who write short stories by constantly keeping her breathtaking prose to under fifty pages. I had a writing teacher who warned us against trying to write after reading Amy, because we would feel compelled to try to emulate her. Of course this is almost always true with influence, but Amy Hempel's writing is like a drug. Reading her words makes the idea of writing newly exciting. It's a challenge to keep up with her, to capture the world in such perfectly crafted, concise sentences, to exercise such restraint and hint at such powerful emotions underneath. I could have written this for any of Amy's work, especially her recently published collected works, but I chose "Reasons to Live" because of "The Man in Bogota" and "Celia is Back," my two personal favorites. If you're a writer, read on with caution; if not, I promise Amy will make you want to start.

Reasons to weep

I first found Amy Hempel in college. A perceptive, smart instructor assigned me "The Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried." It was a shock to the system. For the first time in years words on a page made me weep. I was instantly hooked on Amy Hempel. This is, I believe, her greatest collection. From first page to last it is an extraordinary look into the human condition. The two real standouts are the aforemention "Al Jolson" and a story called "Nashville Gone to Ashes." Nashville is about the recent widdow of a veterinarian. Saying it that way seems to short it a bit. Like all of Ms Hempel's stories, Nashville is about human suffering, courage, love, despair and being human. Read these stories and you will weep.

Another amazing Hempel offering!

I knew this would be a great collection when I spotted this at the bookstore. Reasons to Live contains a collection of fifteen wonderful, witty and sometimes poignant short stories that make you think of the loss of opportunities one has in life. Amy Hempel, who also wrote the beautiful Tumble Home, writes with aplomb and insight of a classic writer. My favorite stories are "Nashville Gone to Ashes," "Going," "Pool Night," and "Why I'm Here." Once again, Amy Hempel has floored me with another impressive, beautiful collection. I will definitely give her other books a whirl.

"Reasons to Live" a modern masterpiece

The short stories in "Reasons to Live" are unlike anything else I have read in fiction. The amount of emotion poured into each story and into each character is astounding for the lack of detail that each tale contains. Nowhere within "Reasons to Live" was I let down or was I not effected by the sheer beauty of Hempel's prose or her ability to bring her characters to life. Amy Hempel truly has the ability to change the way we look at our daily lives, causing us to find meaning even in the smallest details that we would otherwise overlook.

Reasons to read "Reasons to Live"

1. Amy Hempel is one of the best kept secrets of modern fiction. 2. The stories say so much without saying too much. 3. The characters earn your compassion. 4. "In the cemetary where Al Jolson" is buried is the greatest short story I have ever read. 5. If you have ever grieved or felt loss, you will relate to these stories.