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And Also Sharks
Finalist for the 2012 Danuta Gleed Literary Award
A 2011 Globe and Mail Top 100 book
One of Kobo's Best Ebooks of 2011
***
The forlornly funny stories in And Also Sharks celebrate the socially awkward, the insecure, the unfulfilled, and the obsessed.
A disgruntled follower of a self-esteem blog posts a rambling critical comment. On the hunt for the perfect coffee table, a pregnant woman and her husband stop to visit his terminally ill ex-wife. The office cat lady reluctantly joins her fellow employees’ crusade to cheer up their dying co-worker. A man grieving his wife’s miscarriages follows his deluded friend on a stealth photo-taking mission at the Auto Show. A shoplifter creates her own narrative with stolen anecdotes and a kidnapped baby.
In this collection, society’s misfits and losers are portrayed sympathetically, and sometimes even heroically. As desperately as these characters long to fit in, they also take pride in what sets them apart.
A 2011 Globe and Mail Top 100 book
One of Kobo's Best Ebooks of 2011
***
The forlornly funny stories in And Also Sharks celebrate the socially awkward, the insecure, the unfulfilled, and the obsessed.
A disgruntled follower of a self-esteem blog posts a rambling critical comment. On the hunt for the perfect coffee table, a pregnant woman and her husband stop to visit his terminally ill ex-wife. The office cat lady reluctantly joins her fellow employees’ crusade to cheer up their dying co-worker. A man grieving his wife’s miscarriages follows his deluded friend on a stealth photo-taking mission at the Auto Show. A shoplifter creates her own narrative with stolen anecdotes and a kidnapped baby.
In this collection, society’s misfits and losers are portrayed sympathetically, and sometimes even heroically. As desperately as these characters long to fit in, they also take pride in what sets them apart.
143 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2011
11 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Westhead
13 books24 followersJESSICA WESTHEAD is a Toronto writer and editor, and one of the short-story-loving masterminds behind YOSS (Year of the Short Story). Her fiction has appeared in major literary journals in Canada and the United States, including Geist, The New Quarterly, and Indiana Review. Her novel Pulpy & Midge was published in 2007 by Coach House Books. Her short story collection And Also Sharks, published by Cormorant Books in 2011, was on the Globe and Mail’s Globe 100 list of the best books of 2011 and was a finalist for the 2012 Danuta Gleed Literary Award. She was shortlisted for the 2009 CBC Literary Awards, and one of her stories was selected for the 2011 Journey Prize anthology.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 4, 2018
I read this over the course of a few weeks and I don’t really remember any of the stories. I didn’t dislike them - they were well-written and held my attention while I was reading them, but they aren’t memorable to me.
December 8, 2021
I was hunting through the thrift store, looking for something I could easily fit into my tbr, when I came across the most intriguing title. And Also Sharks. What does that mean? The cover is even more intriguing, equally interesting and funny. So I bought this because of the cover and the title.
And I fell into it much harder than I anticipated, sucked into the collection of stories until they spat me out, disorientated, on the other side.
I have discovered that I love collections written by one person. They dig into the writers range and voice. This collection makes me want to read everything from Westhead. I am addicted to her writing and her characters.
Highly recommend this one.
And I fell into it much harder than I anticipated, sucked into the collection of stories until they spat me out, disorientated, on the other side.
I have discovered that I love collections written by one person. They dig into the writers range and voice. This collection makes me want to read everything from Westhead. I am addicted to her writing and her characters.
Highly recommend this one.
June 20, 2011
More three and three quarters, really. I like the tonal control Jessica Westhead displays, and wonder what her stories would look like if she let the tartness and occasional sniping from her characters come out more. There are a lot of stories in this collection, perhaps a couple or so that could have been left out, making the book stronger. For those who think canadian short fiction is only the interminably boring Alice Munro and Mavis Gallant, check out _And Also Sharks_.
January 3, 2012
My Auntie Val sent me this book from Canada (incidentally, people who send me books from Canada are always right up there on my top 10 list of favorite people); she met Jessica Westhead at her book club and got it signed for me, thinking I would love the book. And she was so right! These stories are funny and bleak and touching all at once, and sometimes you see your friends or coworkers in the characters, and sometimes you see yourself. I think The Plant Lady was my favorite.
June 15, 2011
Awesome compilation of stories. From hilarious to thought-provoking, Westhead provides a little bit of everything. I loved that although she wrote many in first person (a POV I have trouble reading) I didn't realize it after about two sentences. Very talented writer. I can't wait to read more of her work.
Definitely recommend.
Definitely recommend.
September 5, 2011
Every story has notable quotes but some stories seem unevenly paced. Some stories seem unexpectedly to race to the end in a final paragraph with a somewhat dissatisfactory resolution. Highlights include "Todd and Belinda Rivers of 780 Strathcona" and "We are All About Wendy Now."
January 6, 2019
Jessica Westhead is talented. A few of these stories alone knocked my socks off. The way that she writes characters that are quirky and complex - just wow. When I read the first story in the collection, "We are All About Wendy Now," I thought I was going to continue to be wowed throughout. And I was, but at the same time I felt the repetitiveness of her theme drag on me. Every single story is about people who think they are morally superior in some way but in their actions or telling of the story come to look like hapless buffoons. And it's great. We all know these people. We've been these people at times. But because each story boiled down to that message, I came to feel a bit bored by the end. But I highly recommend reading one or two stories by themselves.
August 4, 2019
I enjoyed this collection of short stories. They were all a little strange, quirky takes on modern life. The main characters seemed to be a little out of step with the rest of the world, which gave them a different outlook on the other characters without seeing through them. A fun read.
October 1, 2012
Found in my mailbox on April 24 - a birthday surprise from DJO!
May 1, 2012
Okay, so I'm 3/4 of the way through this book of stories and have come to the conclusion that I am a horrible person. I've been snickering, sometimes even laughing out loud, all the way through. It's not that these people are so funny. In fact the poor souls are quite miserable. So why am I laughing? I DON'T KNOW! Hence, my conclusion that I'm just a jerk.
I kind of knew that about myself. Take for instance the time I took my kids shopping at the Bay and we ended up having lunch at the Paddlewheel cafeteria in there. We're sitting there enjoying our lunch, the kids being perfect angels. They always were. One temper tantrum in Woolco having resulted in abruptly returning to the car and home without any fun purchases worked wonders. But anyway, there we were, when in walks a young mom with one kid, a baby, riding her hip, and two older kids trailing behind. The mom's other hand, the one not holding the baby, is balancing a tray loaded with all their food and drinks. Except that the boy has apparently been trusted with(or he insisted on) carrying his own hot dog. The hot dog is not on a plate, the boy has it clutched in his hands. Mom has this harried look like she's about had it. But she perseveres onward, passing the tray over people's heads, repeatedly glancing backwards to make sure her kids are following and, through clenched jaw, directing them, "This way." "Watch where you're going." "Over here." I feel sort of sorry for her but also a bit admiring. She's doing her best. When all of a sudden I see the boy's weiner shoot out of the bun and fall on the floor and, of course, the boy immediately starts to cry. He just stops there and cries. His sister looks down at the weiner but doesn't stop, doesn't say anything, just keeps following her mom who by now is several tables away but still hasn't found a spot to sit. Next time mom looks back, you see she's a little panicked because she doesn't immediately see the boy. Then she sees him. You can see her assess the situation, probably wondering what the heck her kid is doing way back there, but still harried, you know, wanting him to hurry up. Then you can tell she sees what the problem is because she just lets out this big resigned, "Oh...God..." And I just couldn't help it, I laughed. Not right out loud. I tried to hold it in but I couldn't. It just snuck out my nostrils in shoulder shaking snorts and snickers. Mean right? What's worse is it still makes me laugh today, every time I think about it. This book makes me think about it.
May 1, 2012
Okay, so I'm 3/4 of the way through this book of stories and have come to the conclusion that I am a horrible person. I've been snickering, sometimes even laughing out loud, all the way through. It's not that these people are so funny. In fact the poor souls are quite miserable. So why am I laughing? I DON'T KNOW! Hence, my conclusion that I'm just a jerk.
I kind of knew that about myself. Take for instance the time I took my kids shopping at the Bay and we ended up having lunch at the Paddlewheel cafeteria in there. We're sitting there enjoying our lunch, the kids being perfect angels. They always were. One temper tantrum in Woolco having resulted in abruptly returning to the car and home without any fun purchases worked wonders. But anyway, there we were, when in walks a young mom with one kid, a baby, riding her hip, and two older kids trailing behind. The mom's other hand, the one not holding the baby, is balancing a tray loaded with all their food and drinks. Except that the boy has apparently been trusted with(or he insisted on) carrying his own hot dog. The hot dog is not on a plate, the boy has it clutched in his hands. Mom has this harried look like she's about had it. But she perseveres onward, passing the tray over people's heads, repeatedly glancing backwards to make sure her kids are following and, through clenched jaw, directing them, "This way." "Watch where you're going." "Over here." I feel sort of sorry for her but also a bit admiring. She's doing her best. When all of a sudden I see the boy's weiner shoot out of the bun and fall on the floor and, of course, the boy immediately starts to cry. He just stops there and cries. His sister looks down at the weiner but doesn't stop, doesn't say anything, just keeps following her mom who by now is several tables away but still hasn't found a spot to sit. Next time mom looks back, you see she's a little panicked because she doesn't immediately see the boy. Then she sees him. You can see her assess the situation, probably wondering what the heck her kid is doing way back there, but still harried, you know, wanting him to hurry up. Then you can tell she sees what the problem is because she just lets out this big resigned, "Oh...God..." And I just couldn't help it, I laughed. Not right out loud. I tried to hold it in but I couldn't. It just snuck out my nostrils in shoulder shaking snorts and snickers. Mean right? What's worse is it still makes me laugh today, every time I think about it. This book makes me think about it.
April 7, 2017
The first story sucked me in but I didn't enjoy the others as much.
November 2, 2011
If you’ve been by Gin and Rhetoric before, you might know that I have a soft spot for short stories … especially quirky ones, so when I saw Jessica Westhead read from And Also Sharks a few months ago, I knew that I had to read it. And Also Sharks contains 15 short stories, each one telling the story of outsiders, misfits or weirdo’s. People who just don’t quite fit in to the established social norms. People that I like to call ‘socially retarded’. Not bad people, just awkward, uncomfortable people. People like Eunice, the cat lady, and Shelly, who takes kleptomania to a whole new level. Like Dean who believes he can heal by touch and Marv and Deb who just don’t know when to stop being neighborly. When I was reading And Also Sharks, I found that I couldn’t wait to see what the next story was going to entail. I had to know what new and bizarre character would be born.
What I found really and truly endearing about Jessica Westhead’s stories was her ability to be write these characters that are very genuine and relate-able, but at the same time absurd … almost ridiculous. I found myself laughing at their quirks and the circumstances that they put themselves in, then the next moment grieving with them or feeling horribly embarrassed for them or filled with compassion for them. In essence, Jessica Westhead has created damn good characters. They’re real in ways that you can’t even imagine, which is a great accomplishment.
If you enjoy a good short story as much as I do, I’d definitely recommend picking up And Also Sharks. It’s well worth the read, and the excellent characters and pacing will keep you turning the pages (or tapping the screen, whatever your taste may be).
What I found really and truly endearing about Jessica Westhead’s stories was her ability to be write these characters that are very genuine and relate-able, but at the same time absurd … almost ridiculous. I found myself laughing at their quirks and the circumstances that they put themselves in, then the next moment grieving with them or feeling horribly embarrassed for them or filled with compassion for them. In essence, Jessica Westhead has created damn good characters. They’re real in ways that you can’t even imagine, which is a great accomplishment.
If you enjoy a good short story as much as I do, I’d definitely recommend picking up And Also Sharks. It’s well worth the read, and the excellent characters and pacing will keep you turning the pages (or tapping the screen, whatever your taste may be).
Read
April 8, 2016I read this book as part of my participation in a group Bingo, but have decided not to rate it.
This was my first collection of short stories, and I didn't care for it. Is it the genre? The author? The content? I am not sure because it is so different than what I have read before.
The collection is full of eclectic personalities, in various settings. The shortness of the stories just left me wanting more.
Some day I will try again, but for now - back to full length books.
This was my first collection of short stories, and I didn't care for it. Is it the genre? The author? The content? I am not sure because it is so different than what I have read before.
The collection is full of eclectic personalities, in various settings. The shortness of the stories just left me wanting more.
Some day I will try again, but for now - back to full length books.
March 14, 2016
At first glance, this seemed like a great, quick read for me. I love short story collections. I love weird stories about normal seeming people.
This book did not satisfy my short story loves.
Reading this book started to feel like I was reading for a class assignment. And not even an assignment for a class I particularly enjoy.
Perhaps it was a case of wrong book at the wrong time, but it will make me second guess reading anything else by this author any time soon....
This book did not satisfy my short story loves.
Reading this book started to feel like I was reading for a class assignment. And not even an assignment for a class I particularly enjoy.
Perhaps it was a case of wrong book at the wrong time, but it will make me second guess reading anything else by this author any time soon....
June 13, 2011
I read with Jessica Westhead in 2008 and will be reading with her again later this month, but I would have given this book 5 stars even if I'd never met her. These are wonderful short stories. Funny, current, at times devastating, but always well crafted. Each story is character-driven so the settings become secondary, but still all the scenes are easy to picture. I loved it.
September 11, 2011
Quirky & awesome. Seriously hard to put down. Don't read if you've just had Botox (or some other reason it's harmful to laugh). Jessica understands people's quirks - and communicates them - like a true literary genius.
November 8, 2011
A motley assortment of characters populate the stories in this collection. The stories are as unlike one another as the characters, and yet the narrative voice is steady -- always ironic. Enjoyable, particularly if you like quirky.
June 2, 2012
I have an audio interview with the author coming out in a couple weeks. You will hear my enthusiasm for the book then. See here for Book Room podcasts.
March 26, 2012
Solid set of short stories. Not too complicated but with enough whimsy to make them interesting to read.
November 22, 2012
Just met the charming Jessica Westhead last night at the CBC Books Trivia Night, so I'm starting her book with her in mind!
June 11, 2012
Smart, well-written, tight sharp prose. And funny. Loved it.
February 19, 2013
I thought this was a fairly solid collection but after a few days I couldn't remember any of the details...
October 3, 2012
Very skillfully told, compelling stories. A wonderful collection.
June 28, 2018
Jessica can really weave a tale. There's not one story here that I didn't like
November 28, 2013
Wonderful, odd, quirky characters, often not sympathetic if one were to step back, but Westhead brings them and their humanity to life. I really enjoyed these.
January 2, 2015
better then shark week
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews