Why They Cried

by Jim Hanas

Whether it's a report from the real Cannes or a young couple discovering that reading Jacques Derrida aloud can lull their child to sleep, Jim Hanas finds the strange in the everyday and the everyday in the strange. Hanas writes a lean and powerful line that makes even absurd situations--a man who cries professionally, a beauty queen leaving her slob boyfriend for an astronaut--seem painfully familiar. Why They Cried answers its own question and the answer is funnier than you think.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

160 pages, Unknown Binding

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Jim Hanas is the author of the short story collection Why They Cried (Joyland/ECW Press) and the novel Lou Reed’s Nephew, forthcoming from Coffee House Press. His fiction has appeared in Electric Literature, Fence, Joyland, McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, and One Story.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and touching book full of short stories about people crying for all sorts of different reasons. From the couple that breaks up by speaking to each other through their pet dog using baby talk (which left me open mouthed and speechless), to the story of an Arab tough ripping off tourists and famous actors alike while hiding in a hidden space next to an ATM during the Cannes film festival (my favorite), to a professional cryer being bid over at a fundraiser by a woman who wants to see him deliver, not in bed, but in the hot flowing tears category, to the boyfriend propping up a dead bird on a roof, so his girlfriend will think it's still alive and not take the boyfriend's head off, you have a wonderfully imaginative collection of works centered around one main theme of crying in the superbly written Why They Cried by Jim Hanas. Unlike anything I have read before.

[Moxie Mezcal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Hanas is the master of the slow burn. These short works appear unassuming at first, then swell with a skilled balance of humor and humanity to a powerful resonance. They are simple stories, elegantly told, that stay with you long after you've put them down.

[Glenda Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharp, Concise, and Memorable

I enjoyed every story in this collection, and that is rare for me. Mr. Hanas’ writing is so intriguing that it captured my interest from beginning to end, and it got to the point that I often felt sad when a story ended. His characters and plot premises are beyond classic, with each story being a world unto itself, yet somehow personal and recognizable. Bravo!

[SOMI · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not know how to summarize how i felt. I was neither moved nor did I hate these stories, but I did find myself curious as to how each story ended. I did not understand the short story "Pangea"... maybe i am not a seasoned reader haha.

"ten million years from now, the world will be unrecognizable"

[Mira Sturdivant · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This ended up towards the top of my randomly ordered list after syncing very old book lists, so I decided to give Past Me a chance and check it out. I went in without knowing anything about it.)

This collection of stories is so diverse, without theme, that I kept making sure I was still reading the same book - It's without even a common writing style too. I read this in a collection of 3 books by the publisher called Joyland Trio Deal on Libby, so I thought maybe I'd accidentally skipped a section at times.

Why They Cried was a mixed bag, with a lot of tiny samples that even each other out in quality and interest. A good resume for the author. Although I wouldn't know what to expect from him next, I now know that he's very capable and a smart storyteller with lots of tricks up his sleeve.

I thought about a few of these stories the next day, and recalling even some finer details touched my heart.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't find much humor in these stories, which was depressing. Speaking of depressing, the stories were overflowing with tears (one of them, quite literally). And I understand that the title IS "Why They Cried," but even so, you would think that at least the last annoying chapter chopped full of different stories about CRYING would perhaps be cut out. People cry...we understand! I couldn't help but say I did want to find out what happened at the end of most stories, though, so that's why I gave it the rating I did.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading!

Clever, unique and smart short stories. Each story kept me wanting to read the next. This is a great book for readers with short periods of time available to read daily.

[Hari Brandl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky little stories told well in pithy, concise prose. Each story very different, except for the darkness at each of their hearts. I want more!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, moving, lovely book of stories.