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Red Stilettos
This is an extraordinary collection of short stories written by the Welsh-Jewish author Ruth Joseph. Thoroughly thought-provoking it certainly is, an enjoyable read maybe not, but it is without doubt very readable. The first story, ‘Tapestry’, tells us of a mother’s anguish over the centuries-old Jewish tradition of the circumcision of her newly-born son – graphic, sometimes heart-rending, sometimes heart-warming.
Throughout this collection there are remarkably illuminating passages. Joseph’s use of language is both eloquent and productive. In 'Red Stilettos', the title story, she tells us in the first person of a sous-chef’s ‘trial’ coming new into the kitchen. The chef takes delight in provoking ‘Chef tastes my nervousness. Then sniffs the scent like a dog and plans his strategy.’ Further in the story she ‘He crept onto his knees and I watched his disgusting body crawl to the front door, over the beautiful Victorian tiles I had taken so long to restore.’ Such is Joseph’s descriptive prowess that we are there with her, stomach churning.
Joseph’s choice of subject matter is no doubt influenced by the experiences of her youth. Her mother was anorexic and Joseph was her carer; life could not have been easy. In her penultimate story, ‘Patchwork’, she gives a no-holds-barred insight into the depths of despair and depravity that affliction can bring to the sufferer. ‘The pieces of meat in the dog’s bowl lie calling me. I take the bowl and force the greasy pieces of meat into my mouth.’
This is not a book for the faint-hearted, but to put it back on the shelf unread would not only be cowardly. In my opinion, you would have missed reading one of the decade’s finest descriptive narratives. - Norma Penfold
This sensational collection of quality short stories is perfect for the mainstream fiction market. The writing style is deft and stylish but accessible on many levels making it attractive to those buying for book groups and readers who enjoy quality short fiction.
Ruth Joseph lives in Cardiff, Wales where she is part of the strong Jewish community. She has a strong, evovative voice which speaks directly to the reader about guilt, love and food. Her work has perviously been published by Honno, Parthian and Loki.
Throughout this collection there are remarkably illuminating passages. Joseph’s use of language is both eloquent and productive. In 'Red Stilettos', the title story, she tells us in the first person of a sous-chef’s ‘trial’ coming new into the kitchen. The chef takes delight in provoking ‘Chef tastes my nervousness. Then sniffs the scent like a dog and plans his strategy.’ Further in the story she ‘He crept onto his knees and I watched his disgusting body crawl to the front door, over the beautiful Victorian tiles I had taken so long to restore.’ Such is Joseph’s descriptive prowess that we are there with her, stomach churning.
Joseph’s choice of subject matter is no doubt influenced by the experiences of her youth. Her mother was anorexic and Joseph was her carer; life could not have been easy. In her penultimate story, ‘Patchwork’, she gives a no-holds-barred insight into the depths of despair and depravity that affliction can bring to the sufferer. ‘The pieces of meat in the dog’s bowl lie calling me. I take the bowl and force the greasy pieces of meat into my mouth.’
This is not a book for the faint-hearted, but to put it back on the shelf unread would not only be cowardly. In my opinion, you would have missed reading one of the decade’s finest descriptive narratives. - Norma Penfold
This sensational collection of quality short stories is perfect for the mainstream fiction market. The writing style is deft and stylish but accessible on many levels making it attractive to those buying for book groups and readers who enjoy quality short fiction.
Ruth Joseph lives in Cardiff, Wales where she is part of the strong Jewish community. She has a strong, evovative voice which speaks directly to the reader about guilt, love and food. Her work has perviously been published by Honno, Parthian and Loki.
- GenresShort Stories
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2004
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 23, 2017
Very impressive!
I bought this book because it contains the story, Devon Cream. I read this years ago in another collection and was bowled over by it. I thought it was one of the best short stories I'd ever read. It stayed with me over the years. In it, Ruth Joseph recounts the effect of a miserable, restrictive mother-in-law moving into a family's home. Her words express a repressed vehemence and pain and sheer raw humanity which is deeply moving. We've all known that woman, at some point in our lives. The one who dampens and obliterates every ounce of joy in any occasion or any bright thing she comes across. I was almost afraid to read it again in case it didn't live up to my fond memory, but I needn't have worried, it was, if anything, even better and more powerful on a second reading.
Other stories in this collection affected me too. Family life, special moments, birth, marriage and death, some bad, painful things, some lovely and poetic incidents, some ironic and uncomfortable, they're all there. Pain, anger and joy nestle together. The stories are only rarely overtly about Jewishness, but shadows circle in the lives of the characters. Ruth has a talent for conjuring the environment that her characters inhabit, we feel that we're there with them, living alongside them. There are ticking clocks and bone china, niceties which mask old memories best pushed away, we walk amongst them and inhabit these small worlds with their jewel-like details. Sometimes the lives described are harsh and hard.
Each story is like opening a gift, you never quite know what is going to be in there. The stories aren't all darkness, there is sometimes a wicked, almost playful sense of humour and humanity which breaks through and lightens the mood. This is especially true in the title story, which is a masterpiece of imaginative writing, brutal and cruel but with a brave, strong heroine at its centre. Other stories are so powerful that when you come to the end you move from the final words and lift your eyes with a shock, wondering how an effect equivalent to reading a novel can come from so few pages. The whole collection spoke directly to me with a firm, fearless voice. It's one I will treasure and read over and over aga.
I bought this book because it contains the story, Devon Cream. I read this years ago in another collection and was bowled over by it. I thought it was one of the best short stories I'd ever read. It stayed with me over the years. In it, Ruth Joseph recounts the effect of a miserable, restrictive mother-in-law moving into a family's home. Her words express a repressed vehemence and pain and sheer raw humanity which is deeply moving. We've all known that woman, at some point in our lives. The one who dampens and obliterates every ounce of joy in any occasion or any bright thing she comes across. I was almost afraid to read it again in case it didn't live up to my fond memory, but I needn't have worried, it was, if anything, even better and more powerful on a second reading.
Other stories in this collection affected me too. Family life, special moments, birth, marriage and death, some bad, painful things, some lovely and poetic incidents, some ironic and uncomfortable, they're all there. Pain, anger and joy nestle together. The stories are only rarely overtly about Jewishness, but shadows circle in the lives of the characters. Ruth has a talent for conjuring the environment that her characters inhabit, we feel that we're there with them, living alongside them. There are ticking clocks and bone china, niceties which mask old memories best pushed away, we walk amongst them and inhabit these small worlds with their jewel-like details. Sometimes the lives described are harsh and hard.
Each story is like opening a gift, you never quite know what is going to be in there. The stories aren't all darkness, there is sometimes a wicked, almost playful sense of humour and humanity which breaks through and lightens the mood. This is especially true in the title story, which is a masterpiece of imaginative writing, brutal and cruel but with a brave, strong heroine at its centre. Other stories are so powerful that when you come to the end you move from the final words and lift your eyes with a shock, wondering how an effect equivalent to reading a novel can come from so few pages. The whole collection spoke directly to me with a firm, fearless voice. It's one I will treasure and read over and over aga.
September 10, 2012
Solidly written, engaging looks at moments in contemporary womanhood. These vignettes transcend geography and open doors to secret places in culture and religion. A beautiful gift for women struggling in what we've been told should be satisfactory sitations - a poignant reminder that we're never alone.
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