jcschildbach's review
4.0
The stories in this book would be excellent for teaching literature--especially literary interpretation--and I mean that as a high compliment. Most of the stories do not have a clear resolution; and Loory rarely nails down much of anything to the point where specific meanings can be definitively assigned. I imagine English classes from grade school to grad school selecting any one of the very short stories in this book, and engaging in lengthy debates about what each element means--then trying to determine if the end of the story is really the end, and if so..., and if not...
Almost in contrast to the notion of open interpretation, the imagery Loory uses is quite vivid. The deceptively simple language projects clear mind movies--for me those were most often like pleasantly twisted cartoons. Strangely enough, some of those images seem forever burned into my brain, as if I really had seen cartoons based on the stories in the book.
If I have one 'complaint', it's that the book can be overly dense at times. Somewhat like my aversion to reading poetry, I had to be in the right space to take on each story. But also like with poetry, by giving myself the time to wander through at a leisurely pace, the reading became more rewarding. That is, while it would be possible to blast through this book in an afternoon or a part of an afternoon, this isn't a book meant for speed-reading.
With the feel of fable or parable, or perhaps even mythology or religion, Loory's work here has much more weight than it's 200-ish pages (with frequent gaps between paragraphs) suggests.
Almost in contrast to the notion of open interpretation, the imagery Loory uses is quite vivid. The deceptively simple language projects clear mind movies--for me those were most often like pleasantly twisted cartoons. Strangely enough, some of those images seem forever burned into my brain, as if I really had seen cartoons based on the stories in the book.
If I have one 'complaint', it's that the book can be overly dense at times. Somewhat like my aversion to reading poetry, I had to be in the right space to take on each story. But also like with poetry, by giving myself the time to wander through at a leisurely pace, the reading became more rewarding. That is, while it would be possible to blast through this book in an afternoon or a part of an afternoon, this isn't a book meant for speed-reading.
With the feel of fable or parable, or perhaps even mythology or religion, Loory's work here has much more weight than it's 200-ish pages (with frequent gaps between paragraphs) suggests.
lalasel's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nicolebonia's review
4.0
Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day is a beguiling and thought-provoking collection of short fiction that strays from the beaten path, but is better for following its own rhythm. I haven’t found many collections of short stories that I like, but it was pleasure to read through these, and I will do so again. I recommend them not only for short fiction readers but for those who enjoy the meditative quality of art. These stories are open wide to and welcome many interpretations.
poachedeggs's review
3.0
I read the entire book on a long bus journey on the way to meet my friends for dinner last night. The unpleasantness of the journey probably had something to do with my three-star rating. There was someone blaring his/her stupid techno music really loudly, thinking all his/her passengers were characters in his/her personal MTV. And there was a massive traffic jam stretching all the way from the expressway to town and beyond. I was 1hr late for dinner!
I can see that these are good stories, macabre and bizarre. They are extremely short, contain little dialogue, and none of the characters are named. In one story, an octopus speaks to his nephews about living in the city; in another, a woman reads a book with blank pages and protests against it; in yet another, a man tries to get rid of a monster he sees in a public swimming pool.
I am just not sure I should have read all of them at once - each one felt like an abstract piece of art, meant to be admired at one's leisure, and not glossed over because of what appears to be its simplicity.
I can see that these are good stories, macabre and bizarre. They are extremely short, contain little dialogue, and none of the characters are named. In one story, an octopus speaks to his nephews about living in the city; in another, a woman reads a book with blank pages and protests against it; in yet another, a man tries to get rid of a monster he sees in a public swimming pool.
I am just not sure I should have read all of them at once - each one felt like an abstract piece of art, meant to be admired at one's leisure, and not glossed over because of what appears to be its simplicity.
zeecorster's review
4.0
This short book of little fables was absolutely delightful. I read the whole thing in under two hours, and it features some of the crispest, cleanest prose I've read in a while. The longest story in the work clocks in at 12 pages, and most are much shorter, averaging around three or four pages. My personal favorites are "UFO: A Love Story," "The Girl in the Storm," and "The Octopus." I'm very excited to see what else Mr. Loory has in store.
cozylittlebrownhouse's review
5.0
A delayed review, thanks to a career change right in the middle of attempting to read a pile of books from NetGalley!
I followed the suggestion put forth by author Ben Loory in his fabulous title and read most of his stories at nighttime, which proved frustrating because I had a difficult time putting the book down. I quickly developed the "just one more..." mentality while reading and loved being whisked away at night with his take on the modern fable. I was extremely pleased to see the book featured at my local Barnes & Noble during my last visit to the store - it definitely deserves attention for its creativity and heart. I have a hunch it may be one of those quietly successful books that is passed around from book lover to book lover and discussed among friends.
While I am not generally a fan of short stories, I was completely mesmerized and delighted by this collection which was just as magical as the two collections I often recommend to others: [bc:Kissing in Manhattan|26064|Kissing in Manhattan|David Schickler|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167780203s/26064.jpg|841724] [b:Kissing in Manhattan|26064|Kissing in Manhattan|David Schickler|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167780203s/26064.jpg|841724] and [bc:Magic for Beginners|66657|Magic for Beginners|Kelly Link|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170652861s/66657.jpg|649937] [b:Magic for Beginners|66657|Magic for Beginners|Kelly Link|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170652861s/66657.jpg|649937]. I love stories that put you on edge, have an air of mystery about them, spark some magic, and keep you guessing. Since I was reading this on my nook, I never knew when a story was going to end, and that was a huge part of the fun for me as well.
After reading the entire book, I thought long and hard about which stories affected me most, whether for pure enjoyment reasons or because they made me think after I had moved on. It was challenging, but I narrowed the list to ten of my favorites, and then narrowed it even more for this review. If you are curious even a little about this collection, please check out this fantastic debut and dive into Loory's imagination with some of the following...
(I am not giving away anything really, because I just want you to have at it! Here is a tasting...)
The Book - in which a book with completely blank pages becomes and incredible success
The Crown - in which a dish-washing employee discovers an invisible crown in the suds and begins to wear it with results he does not anticipate
The Octopus - in which an octopus has left the sea to live in the city but struggles with agoraphobia
The Tree - in which a tree that can walk is fenced in for public display
The TV and Winston Churchill - in which a television, frustrated with showing horrible and mind-numbing programming, decides to compose an opera about Churchill
I think this book will be one of my top ten of 2011 and I will be pushing it on everyone I know.
I followed the suggestion put forth by author Ben Loory in his fabulous title and read most of his stories at nighttime, which proved frustrating because I had a difficult time putting the book down. I quickly developed the "just one more..." mentality while reading and loved being whisked away at night with his take on the modern fable. I was extremely pleased to see the book featured at my local Barnes & Noble during my last visit to the store - it definitely deserves attention for its creativity and heart. I have a hunch it may be one of those quietly successful books that is passed around from book lover to book lover and discussed among friends.
While I am not generally a fan of short stories, I was completely mesmerized and delighted by this collection which was just as magical as the two collections I often recommend to others: [bc:Kissing in Manhattan|26064|Kissing in Manhattan|David Schickler|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167780203s/26064.jpg|841724] [b:Kissing in Manhattan|26064|Kissing in Manhattan|David Schickler|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167780203s/26064.jpg|841724] and [bc:Magic for Beginners|66657|Magic for Beginners|Kelly Link|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170652861s/66657.jpg|649937] [b:Magic for Beginners|66657|Magic for Beginners|Kelly Link|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170652861s/66657.jpg|649937]. I love stories that put you on edge, have an air of mystery about them, spark some magic, and keep you guessing. Since I was reading this on my nook, I never knew when a story was going to end, and that was a huge part of the fun for me as well.
After reading the entire book, I thought long and hard about which stories affected me most, whether for pure enjoyment reasons or because they made me think after I had moved on. It was challenging, but I narrowed the list to ten of my favorites, and then narrowed it even more for this review. If you are curious even a little about this collection, please check out this fantastic debut and dive into Loory's imagination with some of the following...
(I am not giving away anything really, because I just want you to have at it! Here is a tasting...)
The Book - in which a book with completely blank pages becomes and incredible success
The Crown - in which a dish-washing employee discovers an invisible crown in the suds and begins to wear it with results he does not anticipate
The Octopus - in which an octopus has left the sea to live in the city but struggles with agoraphobia
The Tree - in which a tree that can walk is fenced in for public display
The TV and Winston Churchill - in which a television, frustrated with showing horrible and mind-numbing programming, decides to compose an opera about Churchill
I think this book will be one of my top ten of 2011 and I will be pushing it on everyone I know.
madelyn91's review
5.0
I’ve been on a short story kick lately & recently came across Ben Loory.
I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book. I’d highly recommend.
I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book. I’d highly recommend.
thejoyofbooking's review
4.0
Ben Loory has put together collection of some of the creepiest, most thought-provoking stories I’ve read in a long time. The best part is that the creepy isn’t always from the supernatural element – which is frequently there – but from the parallel that can be drawn for every day life.
It’s hard to provide an example without giving away the end of the stories, but they’re there and they’re beautiful. There’s a ton in this collection for anyone who like fantasy or science fiction of any type, and I’d heartily recommend it for book clubs – there’s lots to discuss.
And look at that cover! Simply gorgeous – that’s what attracted me in the first place, but the writing kept me around.
It’s hard to provide an example without giving away the end of the stories, but they’re there and they’re beautiful. There’s a ton in this collection for anyone who like fantasy or science fiction of any type, and I’d heartily recommend it for book clubs – there’s lots to discuss.
And look at that cover! Simply gorgeous – that’s what attracted me in the first place, but the writing kept me around.