Since the release of her debut novel Prep in 2005, Curtis Sittenfeld has established herself as one of America’s most cherished authors. Her subsequent works, including American Wife, Rodham, and Romantic Comedy, have all achieved international bestseller status, captivating readers with her distinctive blend of sharp wit and profound insight. Now, Sittenfeld returns with Show Don’t Tell, her first short story collection since You Think It I’ll Say It in 2018. This new book features 12 exquisitely crafted stories—one of which revisits the beloved protagonist from Prep. Each narrative encapsulates entire worlds in brief, poignant snapshots. A long-time admirer of the short story format, Sittenfeld shares with us her favorite collections that have left an indelible mark on her literary journey.
Look How Happy I’m Making You by Polly Rosenwaike
“This collection delves into the themes of pregnancy, childbirth, and the arrival of a new baby. The stories are understated yet strikingly realistic, capturing the bizarre transition that parenthood brings to adult life. I appreciate collections that embrace a central theme, often reflecting the author’s preoccupations at the time of writing, and Look How Happy I’m Making You does this beautifully.”
Doubleday, £9.99
Bobcat and Other Stories by Rebecca Lee
“About five years ago, a friend of mine, Erin, gifted me this collection, surprised that I hadn’t read it yet. I hadn’t even heard of it prior! These stories are strangely, almost inexplicably captivating—often revolving around students, professors, or writers—and they vividly capture the essence of life, with all its longing and eccentricities. For instance, one passage reads: ‘So, no love affairs. As soon as this was declared, it felt like a light had turned on in the room. Until this point, everyone had been so focused on the great absent man himself and his every desire that nobody had really looked around that carefully. But at this mention that we could not fall in love, we all turned to see who else was there. Each person seemed suddenly so interesting, so vital, a beautiful portal through which one might pass, secretly.’”
Text Publishing, £8.99
Interesting Women by Andrea Lee
“Many of Lee’s protagonists are strikingly sophisticated and glamorous Black American women navigating life in Europe, and she writes about them with remarkable nuance and insight. Her first novel, Sarah Phillips, chronicles a girl’s coming-of-age in Philadelphia, a work that has significantly influenced my own first novel, Prep. Whenever one of Lee’s stories appears in The New Yorker, it is a must-read for me.”
Fourth Estate, £11.99
A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley
“Brinkley’s inaugural story collection was published around the same time as my first collection in 2018, and I was immediately drawn to its keen awareness of life’s sorrows and absurdities. We are of a similar age, and both attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop—where he is now a professor—over a decade apart. His characters span various ages, yet there’s an implied perspective in his work that beautifully reflects the experience of being born in the mid-1970s and now navigating middle age. I am currently engrossed in his second collection, Witness, set to be published in 2024, particularly admiring the story “Comfort,” which exemplifies a narrative with a rich, ambiguous conclusion.”
Serpent’s Tail, £8.99
Nobody Gets Out Alive by Leigh Newman
“This collection unfolds in both rural and urban Alaska—where urban can still feel quite rural by most standards—and frequently features privileged yet irresponsible white characters. The stories are filled with dramatic elements, such as flying in small planes or facing off against wildlife and extreme weather, often presented in a casual tone. When I served as the guest editor for the Best American Short Stories anthology in 2020, I included the story “Howl Palace” (the nickname the protagonist gives her home), which showcases sentences like: ‘I lay back in my recliner and thought how every good thing that had ever happened to me had happened in Howl Palace. And every bad thing too. Forty-three years. Five husbands. Two floatplanes. A lifetime.’”
JM Originals, £14.99
Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld is published on 27th February by Doubleday, £16.99
