Stripped

by Nicole Monaghan (Editor), Amber Sparks, Jeanne Holtzman

Stripped is a collection with a twist. Yes, the fiction contained herein includes works from some of the best-known names in flash fiction as well as the work of emerging writers, but the bylines have been removed so you can’t tell who wrote what. What’s more, the stories hinge largely on gender roles — but with the authors’ identites stripped from their stories, editor Nicole Monaghan has created a bit of a guessing game. Did a woman, for example, write that piece about ambivalence toward motherhood? Or was it a man? More to the point, does it really matter? Or is there something bigger going on when men and women stretch their minds and imagine what it might be like to be the other?

Authors include Meg Tuite, Michelle Reale, Myfanwy Collins, Tara L. Masih, Roxane Gay, Kathy Fish, Pamela Painter, Sara Lippman, Sherrie Flick, Len Kuntz, Marc Schuster, Michael Martone, Nathan Alling Long, Curtis Smith, Sean Lovelace Robert Vaughan Christopher Allen, and Randall Brown.

Genres: Flash Fiction, Fiction

116 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 2011

Reviews

[Christopher Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional collection of (anonymous) flash fiction by some of the best short fiction writers out there. And here.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, don't be alarmed by the 2-star rating. I've tried to read short stories off and on my entire life. I just can't do it. That's not a criticism of the writers or their products, just a flaw in my feeble brain. BTW I thought the writing was great, but the short story format is just not my cup of tea.

[Kathy]

I have a story in this. It's is going to be great fun, figuring out who wrote what.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS SLAPS. I’ll write more when I’m not incoherent and sickly.

[Karen Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it a book or a game? It is a flash collection of 46 ultra-short stories from 25 to 685 words, but the stories have been STRIPPED of the identities of their authors! We must guess: Did a woman get inside the head of Grover Cleveland? Did a man understand why a woman facing a medical trauma would travel to Italy to recapture a perfect moment from her youth? Who was it that told the story of Gorgo, Queen of Sparta, or The Last Taster for the Emperor of China? Does a woman show what it is to howl with the beasts? We know who the writers are - Robert Swartwood, Randall Brown, Sean Lovelace, Pamela Painter, Roxanne Gay, Kathy Fish - but not which piece they wrote!

I have posted extensive comments, including my guesses and the results of two online gender analyzers, at A Just Recompense! Opinions welcomed!

Addendum Feb 3 2013 : and now the stories have been matched with their authors and we can see how we did! I did not do well at all ! But I beat the computers! (Zin)

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased, of course, having a story in this anthology--but I love the concept, and it makes for a great read. The authors are listed in the back of the book, but the stories aren't connected directly to their authors. This leaves the reader to speculate about authorial identity, especially authorial gender. It's an interesting, worthwhile experiment. Some time next year, I gather, the authors will be publicly connected to their stories.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in this one, so forgive the biased rating. Fascinating premise of gender anonymity. Join the discussion...