It's Not Going to Kill You, and Other Stories

by Erin Flanagan

“It’s not going to kill you,” a mother tells her protesting child. And maybe it won’t, but that doesn’t mean anyone is getting off scot-free. A no-man's-land between exoneration and repercussion, this is the place where the people in Erin Flanagan’s stories in events as big as 9/11 and as small as an infatuation with a dog groomer, as meaningful as the birth of a baby and as senseless as a car crash, as unique as a 1980s air band living out dreams for a city in decline and as common as an afterschool job that sucks. These stories accept that we all make mistakes, but it’s what we do in the aftermath that defines us. Sharp-witted and tenderhearted, these are stories in which readers will find people they recognize but never really knew until now.
 

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Erin Flanagan's forthcoming novel, Come with Me (Thomas & Mercer), releases in August 2023. Her novel Deer Season (University of Nebraska Press) won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author and was a Macavity finalist for Best First Mystery. Her second novel, Blackout (Thomas & Mercer) was a June 2022 Amazon First Reads pick. She is also the author of two collections: It's Not Going to Kill You and Other Stories, and The Usual Mistakes. Erin is an English professor at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a regular book reviewer for Publishers Weekly. For more information about her and her writing, please visit www.erinflanagan.net or say hello on Twitter at @erinlflanagan.

Reviews

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these Fly Over stories for the most part. This was good to read about people taking risks even if they are small ones.

[J.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the first few stories, I had a feeling that the pace would pick up, and I was right. Flanagan has created a collection of stories filled with characters from the Midwest who deal with the fumbles and foibles of life while trying to survive emotionally and physically in a world just a little off center. I found "I Don't Live In This Town" particularly devastating as the teenage boy struggles to assert his homosexuality in the face of familial and societal pressure. In each story, there is a constant, underlying threat of violence that rarely actualizes, yet its presence is unnerving. Her command of language to invoke the subtle, interior states of mind of her characters leaves the reader wondering if the next blow each character suffers might, in fact, be more deadly. They are underdogs, and you root for ay least one of them to get it right. It's not going to kill you if you don't read these stories, but it might leave you a little emptier of that greatest of blessings -- compassion.

[Shelly Itkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ms. Flanagan has composed a book of twelve short stories. The only problem to me is that they are either mini or beginnings of stories that should be finished, its like opening a bag of potato chips and saying I am only going to have one, never going to happen.

Three of my favorites are “It’s Not Going To Kill You” which focuses on the relationship of a divorced mom with a son and her aging mom. Guilt and not living closer is easy to relate to when reading this but she should of gone on as their was so much more that could have been said.

“A Possible Story” has me wondering if perhaps this is something that might of actually happened to the author. The main character Pam had a quick one-night “affair” with her professor and well-known author who is not invited to visit one of her classes and talk about his work. Again so much more could have been written.

“The Summer of Cancer” is another short story and goes on about two friends Emily and Tracy and how they are spending their summer working on a perfect tan. (If only they knew that today they could of died of skin cancer). Also involved is the strange relationship Mr. Mackelvoy has with his daughter since his wife died. There was so much more that could have been said and leaves us wondering if we are correct in what we are thinking.

Call me crazy but I want a beginning, middle and end when I read a story and you won’t get that from this group of stories.

[David French · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book three stars because just like most short story collections I have read, I enjoyed some of the stories and some not as much. What I like most about Erin Flanagan's writing is that it feels real. These characters do not feel much like romanticized literary characters, but everyday genuine people you may meet. Furthermore, she places her characters in real everyday situations to see how they react. That is what these stories are; character reactions to situations such as a night in a hospital waiting room, a car breakdown, or simply a summer of tanning. they are unique stories and certainly worth reading.

A particular highlight is "The Summer of Cancer." Pick up the book for this story if nothing else. The first person narrator draws the reader in quickly, and the ending sticks in your mind long after reading. I still wonder about these characters.

I definitely recommend.

[Ally Copper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of stories with interesting characters and settings that are so real you would swear each tale is autobiographical. I enjoyed this book so much. At the end of each story, I'd think "that one was my favorite," but then the next story would pull me in as much as the previous one. We so rarely get compelling, real stories about middle America. This collection is a real gem.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Erin Flanagan's first book and was pleased to see she had a second book. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as her first collection of stories.
I like that her characters are just normal people in regular situations. She is very good at dialogue and description. I enjoyed all the stories.

[Drunken_orangetree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good to brilliant stories. She has a way of making the most fraught situations resolve into something gorgeous.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing characters and wonderfully interesting stories. I'm not a big fan of short stories but I loved these.