Wild, Cold State

by Debra Monroe

A collection of short stories set in rural Wisconsin and about women seeking love in a land of cold winds and irresponsible men

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 1995

About the author

Debra Monroe is the author of four books of fiction, two memoirs, a textbook, a collection of essays.

Her first book The Source of Trouble was acclaimed as a “fierce debut” that presents “ever-hopeful lost souls with engaging humor and sympathy” (Kirkus Reviews). Her second book of stories A Wild, Cold State was described by The Boston Globe as “fine and funky, marbled with warmth and romantic confusion, but not a hint of sentimentality.” The Washington Post called her first novel “rangy, thoughtful, ambitious, and widely, wildly knowledgeable.” Shambles was praised by the Texas Observer as “a novel of graceful ease and substance.” Her first memoir On the Outskirts of Normal was published to national acclaim. Her second memoir My Unsentimental Education was described by the Chicago Tribune as "a heady rush of adventure, optimism, and fearlessness. Her book of essays It Takes a Worried Woman was described by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune as "edgy, nervy, anxious, alloyed by intellect, insight and humor."

Her books have won many awards, including the Flannery O’Connor Award, Borders Bookstore New Frontiers Award, The Barnes and Noble Book Award, and several best book of the season or year citations, including in O Magazine, Elle, Vanity Fair, and Southern Living.

Reviews

[arabella · Rating 1 out of 5]

did not enjoy. cover is beautiful though.

[amie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I just wouldn’t bother. I didn’t find any of the characters redeeming or likable or winning or even interesting. I kept reading because they were short stories- kept thinking things could turn around. But they did not.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing that struck me about these stories is that many of them begin with extremely complex first paragraphs. They don't use a simple hook to draw you in, or an intriguing situation or image to hold your attention, they instead weave complexity, drawing you in how? "Have a Ball" is a great story, just the kind I always hope to find when I read short fiction. "Crossroads Cafe" is the oddity of the collection, the only one where Monroe went after a different voice. A good subversive story, but the voice never quite rang true to me, I was always aware that the author was trying to capture it, hence didn't get it. I like her writing in these stories—peanut buttery.

[Notcathy J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cathy says: "transparently autobiographical. 'lyricism' verges on incoherence at times."

[Graham Oliver]

The tying together of characters makes this as much as a novel as a short story. Monroe also grew in her ability to create distinct characters since Source of Trouble.

[Sara Lamers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories are stronger than others.