An Absence of Cousins

by Lore Segal

Ilka Weisz is in need not just of friends but 'elective cousins'. She has left her home in New York to accept a junior teaching post at the prestigious Concordance Institute, a liberal college in bucolic Connecticut. But how can she, a Jewish refugee from Vienna, find a new set to belong to - a surrogate family? Might the Shakespeares - the institute's director and his wry, acerbic wife - hold the key?

In these interlinked New Yorker stories, Lore Segal evokes the comic melancholy of the outsider and the ineffectual ambitions of a progressive, predominantly WASP-ish institution. Tragedy and loss haunt characters as they plan an academic symposium on genocide, while their privileged lives contrast starkly with those on a derelict housing project next door.

Includes the acclaimed New Yorker podcast story, "The Reverse Bug".

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Lore Vailer Segal was an Austrian-American novelist, translator, teacher, short story writer, and author of children's books. Her novel Shakespeare's Kitchen was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2008.

Reviews

[flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book. 🤍 i liked this even a little more than ‚her first american‘.

[Lissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I’m not American enough (I’m okay with that), but I just didn’t get it..

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book for the cover, was a bit bored in the middle but really pleased with the ending.

An Absence of Cousins is a collection of short stories following the lives of a group of people over a period of time.

The story starts with our protagonist Ilka, a Jewish refugee, as she leaves NY and starts over again to become a teacher in a prestigious college. During the first part of the book we follow her struggles and awkward attempts to meet people and become part of a social network. While it starts lightly, with someone just trying to “fit in", the story develops to reveal the real trauma, ambitions and desires
people have in their lives.

I particularly liked the dialogues, which are strong and comical, almost like in a theatre play. While the conversations the characters have are apparently trivial, it touches deep subjects such as grief, loss, exile, inter marital relationships and love.

The last story, Leslie´s Shoes, is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read on romantic love.

Conclusion: you never know until you finish.

[Grace Ji · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this book. Reading it feels like sitting by the ocean eating raspberries. It’s so perceptive, beautiful, poignant, and the tone is very thoughtful and unique. Ilka is a very likeable and relatable protagonist. The only part that irked me deeply was what she did with Leslie in the third act. But other than that the characters are all fantastic and feel very life-like and vivid, like real people. I also love how historical and political and social commentary are sprinkled throughout.

[Danilo DiPietro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proxy for New Yorker short story, ‘Beyond Imagining- discussed w Ann’s book club. The ravages of aging.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curiously compelling book about how life is, its highways and byways. Not aiming to be ‚something important‘ it thus becomes that, holding a mirror up to us. A quiet read, one to savour.

[Laura Sato · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down. quite amusing, but i thought i would connect with it more...

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly feel like the first chapter which I loved was very misleading of the tone of the rest of the book; middle became very boring very quickly but the ending was nice

[Aina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me of the idiot