Herb's Pajamas: Stories

by Abigail Thomas

Linked stories of four lonely city dwellers by the New York Times–bestselling author of A Three Dog Life: "A gem" (The Village Voice).
"A lonely hermit, a dead cobbler, a teenage runaway, and a fifty-four-year-old virgin star in this . . . collection of poignant short stories set on New York's Upper West Side. In concise, deft prose, Thomas interweaves tales of ordinary people coping with urban malaise. The first piece describes Walter, a sci-fi writer, pondering the value of his existence after his wife walks out. After Walter is cheered up by Mexican rooftop singers, the narrative shifts to his troubled neighbor, Edith. An overweight, sexually frustrated woman, Edith's unusual antics include pocketing her dying mother's jewelry and leaving flowers in the trash for a homeless woman. As Edith and Walter come to grips with their loneliness, the chaotic New York milieu is a vital force invigorating their lives. After a fourteen-year old runs away in search of her older sister in the penultimate story, the collection ends with an adulteress struggling to move her dead lover's body, still clad in her husband's pajamas. In portraying each of her four characters, Thomas captures the subtle details of city life with elegance, flair, wit, and comic timing." —Boston Review
"Thomas has a way with details that makes for endings as bittersweet as her beginnings." —Publishers Weekly
"An entertaining, cohesive, and well-written volume." —Booklist

 

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 1998

Reviews

[Bonnie G. · Rating 1.75 out of 5]

Vaguely linked short stories. Most of the MCs live in the same NYC apartment building on the UWS, though some are upstate. The stories are mostly trite and feel like Learning Annex writers' workshop output. I liked the first story overall, but after that every character was unnatural, every scrap of dialogue was stilted. The penultimate story, Bunny's Sister was the weakest and I skimmed portions of that story. Sad girls who self-harm and need love are just ... no.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Herb’s Pajamas,” written in 1998 by an author I’ve only recently discovered thanks to an Ann Patchett recommendation, is a book of four short stories. Abigail Thomas writes about Walter, Edith, Bunny and Belle, four people living in New York City, all strangers, all easily overlooked, perhaps lost.

Their interior lives reveal a depth that is unexpected, asking questions, taking risks, holding back, sharing compassion and understanding for the people they come in contact with, concerned about their own sanity. Each has suffered a loss, and their lives reveal how different the journey of or through grief is for all of us.

Some of the moments are heartbreaking, beyond socially awkward, as one or the other misreads a situation or doesn’t stay long enough to receive kindness. The sense of isolation is palpable; each acknowledges loneliness, and three of them do reality checks of sorts calibrating crazy thoughts and behaviors. Yet, Thomas renders their stories so tenderly, so respectfully.

At the end, I did not despair for any of them. Each is resilient, and with my magical thinking, I can only hope they connect some day in the café or in front of the flower shop.

[Irma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good character sketches. Wavering between 4 and 5 stars. But not loving it enough to be a favorite.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and easy read that is broken down into short stories about a pretty eclectic group of people. I found it interesting that in most cases the characters some way knew each other. The people are generally down and out in one way or another, but at the same time the writer is able to bring laughter into some of the darkest of situations. I am not usually fond of books that are made up of short stories, but I enjoyed the way this book flowed and it felt more like a novel of one story as opposed to many because of the connections that many of the characters had with one another.

[Desaray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't get the point of this book.

[R.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Κριτική στα Ελληνικά πιο κάτω...
3+/5
Loosely connected stories, more like snap-shots on the life of each different character rather than stories with specific plots. All stories are kind of sad, but the book somehow flows smoothly most of the time. The writting style is the strong asset of Abigail Thomas rather than the themes or stories their selves I think.
Not something very memorable, but a book I found very decent to pass the time. And this is fine too, not everything has to be a literary masterpiece!

3+/5
Ιστορίες χαλαρά συνδεδεμένες μεταξύ τους, πιο πολύ στιγμιότυπα της ζωής κάθε διαφορετικού χαρακτήρα παρά ιστορίες με συγκεκριμένη πλοκή. Όλες είναι μάλλον θλιβερές ιστορίες, ωστόσο το βιβλίο διαβάζεται σχετικά άνετα και το κείμενο ρέει μια χαρά τις περισσότερες φορές. Μάλλον ο τρόπος γραφής είναι το πλεονέκτημα της συγγραφέα παρά η θεματολογία της ή οι ίδιες οι ιστορίες.

Δεν είναι κάτι που θα μου μείνει για πολύ καιρό στο μυαλό, ωστόσο το βιβλίο ήταν αξιοπρεπές ανάγνωσμα για να περάσει η ώρα. Δεν χρειάζεται ότι διαβάζουμε να είναι πάντα απαιτητικό λογοτεχνικό αριστούργημα άλλωστε!

3+/5

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Abigail Thomas. These are short stories.
The first about Walter who’s going through a divorce he doesn’t want. Walter is a successful author but his wife leaves bc she’s bored with him.
Then Edith’s wardrobe, Edith is a clueless 50 year old virgin who’s been spoiled all her younger years by a famous mother and with no siblings and no outside interests besides being with her famous mother, she has a pretty awkward time of it when she’s alone.
Then it’s Bunny’s Sister, oh my, rip your heart out, nothing worse than being 14 and having the situation Bunny has.
The last is Herb’s pajamas, very short but also very good.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars but a higher 3.5 than Thomas' other book of stories I read. I'm done my reading of Abigail Thomas books now - I've read 5 in the past 3 months -and I've enjoyed it. She's a talented writer and her books are pleasant ones to read. This book of short stories was really good. I preferred it to her other book of stories I just read. The plots and characters were unique and they were enjoyable people to spend some time with. I recommend the book.

[Careyleah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abigail Thomas' characters are so familiar to me; I recognize them and understand what they are thinking and feeling. In this book, I'd hoped for more overlapping and connection between the characters in the stories (this is what seemed to be promised in the dust jacket). Nonetheless, this was an interesting way to meet new folks in the world of Thomas.

[Susan Scruton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of very short, interconnected stories. I loved seeing earlier characters popping up briefly for their cameo appearances in later stories.

Abigail Thomas's style is unique and compact. She's got an eye for the single telling detail. I loved how Bunny's story unfolded especially.

I believe I've now read all Thomas's books. I hope there will be more.

[Marian Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I'm not sure where I ran across this little gem, but I certainly enjoyed it. This collection of 4 short stories, linked only tangentially, is beautifully written. I would classify them as largely character profiles, characters who struggle to be sure, but each experiences a relief of redemption along the way.

[Michael Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

This is a very interesting, entertaining story. It takes you on a ride to meet people who come around full circle in other people’s lives. I read it in two sittings as I could not stop. Thank you, Abigail!!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything I’ve read from Abigail Thomas. This short story collection was no exception. I especially loved the longest story, “Bunny’s Sister.”

[Cathy Senecal-Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Abigail Thomas! She’s a bit crude, hilarious & always surprising! I find myself not being able to stop turning the pages whenever I read her books. Never ever boring. Outstanding.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was tempted to write Abigail Thomas a letter after reading her collection of short stories Herb’s Pajamas. This is what I would have written:

Dear Ms. Thomas,
I cried. I cried and cried. My lips quivered and my nose and eyes squished together so tightly they squeezed snot and tears out at the same time. I haven’t cried like that since I read Where the Red Fern Grows. Congratulations, Ms. Thomas, you made me fall in love with your characters because of a tiny pair of manicure scissors and a hat with cherries on the brim.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on an Abigail Thomas kick. After reading "Safekeeping" a few years ago and loving it, for some reason I did not investigate more of her work until her most recent book, and then I realized she has written quite a bit. So Herb's Pajamas was her "usual" pithy rendition - I love her brevity and yet she paints such deep and wide landscapes by focusing in on small things. I also didn't know she was the daughter of the scientist, Lewis Thomas. Onward! To the next one!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by Abigail Thomas, the author of "Three Dog Life," this is a series of short stories that sort of inter-connect. But the connections are so tenuous that I'll have to reread the entire book to make sure I find all the connections. Still very good writing; she has a unique view of the world, quirky yet often deep.

[georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

the Beatles sand a song about "all the lonely people, where do they all belong"? this is about the same with great characters. favorite quote is a mother telling his newly divorced older son, " Piffle" his mother replied. "love is a detail. Walter. There's a lot of life to get through and love is only a part of it. A detail. A scrap of ribbon."
pg 35

[Kelley Clink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stories about love and loss that gently overlap. The first two are masterful, full of longing and hope. The third is heartbreaking. The title story is actually the shortest and least in depth. This book warrants multiple reads.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abigail Thomas puts a face on the apartment dwellers of New York that is at once individual and vulnerable. Her four short stories in this collection lightly connect in the reality of her fiction and strongly connect to humanity at large.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than any I've read for a long time. The characters in the cleverly interwoven stories are interesting and very well-drawn. Their plights are compelling, moving and often amusing. Vivid descriptions too. I will look for other books by this author.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to reread this one

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

very precisely written. clear and concise and yet loaded sentences. 3 stories that loosely overlap. there is tragedy, but it's not overthetop woe is me. i want to read more from her.

[Adele Stratton · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are very loosely related short stories about the inner lives of several people with a connection to the same neighborhood in New York City. Fun.

[robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite book by this author, but still good.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two longer stories in this book I read and thought, meh. But the last two shorter stories I may never forget. How am I supposed to rate such a book?

[Kim June Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, simple stories. Thoroughly enjoyable. Very accessible, not exhaustingly elaborate like so much literary fiction. Beautiful characters and settings.

[Conchita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't realize it was 3 short stories. But they were interesting .

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great little book with 4 short stories featuring people whose lives cross. Her writing is so character oriented yet full of little details that anchor the characters in reality.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read of connected short stories. Nicely done.