Long Distance

by Aysegül Savas

A masterful and tender debut collection of stories from the acclaimed author of The Anthropologists, about distance and closeness in the age of connectivity.

"An exceptionally elegant, intelligent, and original writer.” -Sigrid Nunez
"She is an author who simply, and astoundingly, knows." -Bryan Washington
"The rigor of Didion and the tenderness of Sebald." -Catherine Lacey
"One of my favorite writers." -Katie Kitamura

A researcher abroad in Rome eagerly awaits a visit from her long-distance lover, only to find he is not the same man she remembers. An expat meets a childhood friend on a layover and is dismayed by her unexpected contentment. A newly pregnant woman considers the American taboo of sharing the news too soon, but can't resist when an opportunity comes to patch up a damaged friendship.

Long Distance showcases Savas's devastating talent for the short story. Her shrewd encapsulations of contemporary life often center on characters displaced more by choice than circumstance, characters both determined to install themselves in new lives and preoccupied with the people they've left behind.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Literature, Adult Fiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 8, 2025

About the author

Ayşegül Savaş grew up in London, Copenhagen, and Istanbul. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and Granta, among others. She lives in Paris.

Reviews

[kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's a good year for the lit girls

[Marcus (Lit_Laugh_Luv) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody writes characters like Savas can. Even in short stories, she's capable of encapsulating so much depth and personality in them that they truly feel like real people. The stories in Long Distance blend so cohesively without veering into monotony, and I loved the parallel themes explored in each entry. The concept of distance takes physical meaning in the stories of immigrants and displacement, but she also explores it through the lens of friendship, intimacy, and family.

The stories end abruptly, but ultimately I think that's the point. Savas imposes distance between the subject and readers, and only offers us a glimpse into their present. In some cases, that may give us a few days or weeks with these characters, and for others, we only spend a few hours with them before moving on. There's nothing flashy about the stories, but they're heartfelt and deeply human.

I would struggle to identify a singular entry that stood out to me most in this collection, as I genuinely appreciated them all. Crafting a short story collection this strong is an art in itself, and now that I've read three of Savas' published works (The Anthropologists remains my favourite, but the ending of White on White is spectacular) I am in awe of her craft. Don't let this collection slip by your radar -- even if you're not a short story fan, I really think it's worth the read.

Thank you to Libro.fm for the free audiobook copy!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot get enough of Savaş and her work. No one really executes the small moments of life, softly adding up to something more, quite like she does. Her short stories were like a trailer to what she delivers in her novels: pages that explore the themes of human connection expanding outward. Savaş has easily become one of my favorite authors and I’ll be eagerly awaiting more from her.

[John Caleb Grenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long Distance
@__aysegulsavas__
@bloomsburybooksus

I read this book nearly twice as I went through it. I bought a hardback, then was offered a free audio by @librofm . As I read these perfectly crafted, carefully worded, resonant, knowing stories in the lamplight of my bed, AC blasting on my face—inevitably the baby would wake up and start crying so I’d head upstairs to do some rocking. (Ironic if you’ve read all of these stories.)

Luckily, I didn’t have to quit reading once she fell asleep and I was nap trapped in the chair until she was in a little deeper. I listened as the author read it to me.

I wish I’d read Savaş sooner. I started The Anthropologists last year right before Booker season, then the list came out and I got distracted and never went back. That’s the curse of prioritizing a prize list, and I won’t do it again. Not for the booker. It’s not worth it. What else did I miss out on reading book after book after book, doodle after doodle, and for WHAT. FOR WHY?! ANYWAY.

This short story collection goes right up there with my favorites. Is the form having a durn renaissance this year or what?! The craft displayed here, the reflection noted by her exact word choices. It’s like a magician revealing to you only what she wishes at every turn, sleight of hand at its finest. There are hints of Jhumpa Lahiri here I loved, and even hints of Maxine Rosaler I recently became a fan of—but honestly comparing does nothing useful here. These are perceptive, insightful, emotional, and precisely unique stories. Cliché must have been nonexistent here, because every word and turn of phrase felt fresh.

My favorites? All of them? If you forced be to pick, I’ll go with the ones I can remember off the top of my head without referring to the book: Long Distance, The Room, Cry it Out, Twirl. But it’s like trying to say your favorite songs from an album best listened to all the way through each time.

Anthropologists time. Adding backlist to cart now. Take my money, Savaş.

[nestle • whatnestleread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up on a whim and ended up really loving it. An intimate collection of short stories that digs into all kinds of relationships (romantic, platonic, familial) and how different forms of distance, whether emotional or physical impact us.

There’s a long-distance couple struggling to hold onto the version of each other they first fell for, a new mom overwhelmed by exhaustion and shifting friendships, a woman in Paris craving solitude but still pulled toward connection. Savaş has a real talent for capturing the exact moment when closeness starts to slip into misunderstanding.

Most of the characters are in some kind of transition like moving cities, starting over or figuring out what they want. She writes those in-between spaces so beautifully. Even the quieter stories leave an impression.

[Kurt Neumaier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little clementine slices of life.

Favorite stories: Layover, Future Selves, Twirl

[Annie Tate Cockrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m such a fan of Savas’ writing - she pays acute attention to the minor details in human interaction, specifically the places where people meet and also miss each other. Many of these stories pay follow friendships between women and how they shift in adulthood. If I had to boil it down I’d say in this collection she is writing about young women, at different stages of life, and the mistakes that can come at each stage - and she does so without judgement. Thank you to Bloomsbury for the galley and look out for Long Distance on July 8, 2025.

[Julia]

turns out i will read lit fic if it’s written by turkish authors

[Cristelle Snyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

[Hannah Bonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't want this book to end.

[Fiona W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy of me to read short stories but wow I loved it. Flipping through trying to pick favorites I’m landing on: Twirl, Marseille, and Layover.

[Yahaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to bloomsbury books for the gifted copy

I said it before, but I’ll say it again: I’m glad I live in a world where there are stories by Ayşegül Savaş.

After falling in love with last year’s The Anthropologists I knew I needed to get my hands on this story collection. Guys, this delivered so hard.

I was trying to explain to a friend what works so well here for me and I’m not sure I can put it into the right words. Savaş has this magical and subtle way of exploring the, for lack of a better term, liminal spaces in relationships. Relationships change, be it through time, space, or even death. People have babies, people move, people realize that those friendships weren’t that deep or the opposite- that friend you weren’t that excited to see is actually someone you should have kept in your life. What makes all these stories so relatable is just that living is hard, add people to the mix and it’s even harder. What makes me love them so much is the melancholy and spareness found throughout.

Honestly this is one of my favorite books of the year. Savaş’ writing just does something to my brain that makes it attach to every word. She also goes for my heart, tenderly breaking it and putting it back together. I'll keep coming back for more.

[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Savas clearly has a gift for language. Her writing is clean, observant, and quietly intelligent. The stories are often filled with a gentle melancholy, circling themes of disconnection, longing, and the ache of modern relationships strained across time zones and emotional distances. There’s a subtle power in her restraint, and fans of quiet literary fiction will likely appreciate the craftsmanship.

🎶"Moon Song" – Phoebe Bridgers
🎶"Call It Fate, Call It Karma" – The Strokes
🎶"Past Life" – Tame Impala

[Varsha Ravi]

A slice-of-life collection that explores the many distances — physical and metaphorical — that shape our relationships, whether romantic, platonic, or familial. Some stories stood out as stellar, while others faded quickly, but overall it’s a compelling and very readable collection, written with Savaş’s characteristic sensitivity to human nature and her fluid, graceful style.

[Vmndetta (V) · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is good GOOOOOOOOD. beautiful. gorgeous.

but whats stopping me from giving it 5 stars is...

i was already hooked and deep into the book, but why did the pov suddenly switch to 1st person near the end??? it's like almost ruining the whole mood. i personally think 3rd person can be more beautiful than 1st (do i have to explain this?). so WHYYYYYY

[Julia Jenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this almost as much as the Anthropologists and now I’m going to go read all her other books

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular. I am not well.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love her honest and easy to read stories.

[Yuqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

no notes. this is the best short story collection I've ever read. nothing more beautiful than these vignettes of life's fleeting moments. 🫶🏼 so matter of fact in the stories, it's like peering between the slits of the window blind to catch a glimpse of a scene. it inspires me to write short stories ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Book Club of One · Rating 4 out of 5]

Distance is both a physical measure of space between two things, but it can also be an emotional state of dislocation, a separation of shared interests or the effects of the passage of time. In Aysegül Savas Long Distance: Stories these themes are explored through 13 short stories from a wide variety of situations and viewpoints, beginning with the titled story about a long distance relationship.

All the stories are centered on relationships, but the issues are different. Becoming a new parent, looking for a new apartment, studying abroad, aging, immigration, grief or failing to find 'the one' through dating apps all featured in their own stories. Savas has constructed the tales well, quickly establishing the narrator and provided lots of small details to make the characters feel drawn from true life. Many of our narrators are flawed, selfish with their time, failing to understand the needs of others or simply in a transitional stage. Many are not quite ready to leave the familiar and comfortable but feel trapped or stifled by their situations.

Perhaps because they were at the end, but the stories that have stayed with me the most are the last two: 'Cry It Out' and 'Twirl.' 'Cry It Out' is about two parents of a newborn in the throws of sleep deprivation trying to establish routines while their friend group falls apart due to differing politics about a war. 'Twirl' focuses on a woman looking to find a boyfriend who has started using dating apps and begins to notice common mannerisms or actions from the various dates and stumbles upon a dating tips website, all while forming a friendship with an older woman who might not have been completely honest about her family life.

A set of stories that speak to the difficulties of maintaining ties in our contemporary world.

Recommended to readers of contemporary fiction, short stories or slice of life fiction.

I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of these short stories were contemplative, nostalgic, a bit sad, and had abrupt endings. The terrible formatting of my copy didn’t help the transition from one story to another, but I’d still enjoy good writing no matter what.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc.

[Ipek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ayşegül Savaş is an excellent, mood, situation and relationship writer. Her writing style is perhaps most suited for short form which is why I think Long Distance shines amongst her other works. She understands and analyses the nuances and complexities of human relationships incredibly well. Every short story is a window, an arresting glimpse in to a segment of a couple’s, a friend’s, a friend group’s or a person’s life at a certain time. Her writing is very simple, organic and open yet nothing about her characters ever are. Simply superb.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

perfect to read on a lazy day. not the most challenging stories but just lovely writing. she is very good at small moments

[Lea vdd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schöne Kurzgeschichten, sehr atmosphärisch und Geschichten, die wirklich resonieren. Manche fand ich wirklich unglaublich gut. Definitiv eine spannende Autorin :)

[thebookybird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story for better and the writing sings 🤌🏼

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

not a single miss in this collection. thoroughly enjoyed each story, the themes and her writing overall but with they were all longer... I think I realized I prefer full length novels. But this was my ideal short story collection.

[Inside My Library Mind · Rating 3 out of 5]

i appreciated this collection! i loved the writing, and i love how clear the theme here is, the stories make sense and explore different aspects of distance in relationships. towards the end they do start to blur together a bit, and i am not sure how memorable they will be, but they did make me excited to pick up the author's novel

[cloudybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange experience for me. It’s clear she’s a great writer, yet the stories didn’t grab me. I look forward to reading more from Savas though.

[Daisy]

I've read several of Ayşegül Savaş' work over the last year or so, and I could never quite explain to myself what kept bringing me back. On the surface, her stories appear calm and languid, opting for little moments instead of grand gestures, and yet they have a quality to them that I find a bit unsettling. But now I've realized that what draws me to her writing is how her little vignettes of everyday life can capture the disorientation of modern life that is exactly so hard to explain, that state of dread and uncertainty and transience where everything is muddled and nothing is clear.

So many of her stories have a quiet, circular tension to them, rippling between dissolution and reconciliation and back again. Many of them start with hope, whether it's romantic desire or wanderlust or whatever else, that is then slowly laced with disappointment and resentment. But it happens so gradually and so gently that you start to doubt yourself, are you slowly drowning or are you just imagining things? After a while, you've been treading water for so long that it has become the immediate, eternal, and overwhelming present, where the past is forgotten and the future is unimaginable... there is only you and the water as you try not to let the panic build. There are brief moments when your head pops up over the surface, the sun is shining and you can convince yourself that you'll be okay, but if you pause for too long, you'll start to sink again.

The titular story "Long Distance" is the perfect example of this. It is hard to name the dissatisfaction with dating someone who is blandly polite to everyone. There is no singular, explosive event to point to that makes them a villain, and there is always that plausible deniability that they are so affable and so decent that *you* must be the crazy one for being unhappy. And yet your lover always keeps you at a slight distance--never taking any risks, never showing you any consideration greater than what they would offer any stranger passing through, and so you begin to doubt how much they really see you at all. Would it even matter to them if you were gone? And the truth is that you'll probably never really be sure.

[Audrey | WellReadandUndead(ish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is between 2 and 3 stars, but I decided to round down because I don't see myself recommending this book often.

There were some stand out stories that I really enjoyed, like Freedom to Move and Cry It Out. While all of the stories in this collection are vignettes of people's lives, I enjoyed these two in particular because they felt more fully formed. There's a glimpse at the wider world around the characters that anchor the story in a more concrete time and place. They also both spoke of more universal experiences of how to love those that can't care for themselves (an ailing grandfather and a new baby, respectively) and how that changes you. You're no longer an individual with their own problems and other relationships, but a caregiver. Finally, they both felt like they had natural beginnings, middles, and endings leaving me feeling satisfied and reflective rather than confused, bored, or indifferent like for some of the other stories. I don't necessarily need stories to follow a traditional arc, but these stories are barely plot- nor character-driven, so I needed something to rely on!

Overall, these stories are best for those that regularly consume and enjoy literary fiction. That's not typically me. I got this book for free through Libro.fm and was interested in widening my reading. I went into it blind and didn't love the experience. Sooooo, don't do what I did?

Below are my ratings for each individual story. (I think I might be missing one, but I really don't want to try to figure out which one.)

Long Distance - 2
The Room - 2
We Are Here - 3
Marseille - 2
Ghosts - 1 (note I left for myself: What am I reading, honestly?)
The Guest - 3
Practicality - 3
Future Selves - 2
Freedom to Move - 4
Cry It Out - 4
Twirl - 3