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Losing Found Things
“We’re all broken, and the scars we trade are all that remain of our fragile, once complex lives.”
Losing Found Things is the raw, unforgettable debut collection of fifteen short stories from award-winning writer and novelist Brett Garcia Rose, who takes readers past what lies on the surface and into the darkest corners of human experience.
A young man boards a cruise ship planning to jump, and finds an unlikely ally waiting at the railing. A brother and sister slip away from the moving van waiting in their driveway in order to visit their favorite place one last time. Animal rights workers break into a research facility, but the rescue doesn’t go as planned. A therapist with her own issues answers suspicious questions about a one night stand. An artist tries to hold onto his fragile, impossibly beautiful model girlfriend as fame pulls her away.
Couples watch the gathering twilights of their love, armed men wait in the woods, lonely people disappear in crowded clubs and city streets. This is the stark world of Brett Garcia Rose, who greets readers with his own autobiographical story “The Spoken World,” which has appeared in multiple anthologies, was nominated for both Best of the Net and The Pushcart Prize, and won the Fiction Attic Short Memoir Contest.
Losing Found Things is the raw, unforgettable debut collection of fifteen short stories from award-winning writer and novelist Brett Garcia Rose, who takes readers past what lies on the surface and into the darkest corners of human experience.
A young man boards a cruise ship planning to jump, and finds an unlikely ally waiting at the railing. A brother and sister slip away from the moving van waiting in their driveway in order to visit their favorite place one last time. Animal rights workers break into a research facility, but the rescue doesn’t go as planned. A therapist with her own issues answers suspicious questions about a one night stand. An artist tries to hold onto his fragile, impossibly beautiful model girlfriend as fame pulls her away.
Couples watch the gathering twilights of their love, armed men wait in the woods, lonely people disappear in crowded clubs and city streets. This is the stark world of Brett Garcia Rose, who greets readers with his own autobiographical story “The Spoken World,” which has appeared in multiple anthologies, was nominated for both Best of the Net and The Pushcart Prize, and won the Fiction Attic Short Memoir Contest.
188 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
232 people want to read
About the author
Brett Garcia Rose
3 books13 followersBrett Garcia Rose is a writer, software entrepreneur, and former animal rights soldier and stutterer. His work has been published in Sunday Newsday Magazine, The Barcelona Review, Opium, Rose and Thorn, The Battered Suitcase, Fiction Attic, Paraphilia and other literary magazines and anthologies. His short stories have won the Fiction Attic’s Short Memoir Award and been nominated for the Million Writer’s Award, Best of the Net, The Pushcart Prize, The Lascaux Prize for Short Fiction, and Opium’s Bookmark competition.
Rose travels extensively, but calls New York City home.
Rose travels extensively, but calls New York City home.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 4, 2016
“The next time someone clucks their tongue at you and says this or that person took their own life, acknowledge that they have no idea what they’re talking about. The selfish windbags texting their lovers at our funerals and raiding our closets and investment accounts, they’re the ones who take our lives. We just let go of the other end.”
It's taking me a long time to try to put into words how I feel about this book. I read it over a year ago and I'm still having problems. It wasn't particularly bad or anything. I didn't hate it. Some of the stories I did enjoy. And there were a few quotes I think were pretty awesome, but. Meh. It wasn't my cup of tea, I suppose.
Writing style can make or break a story regardless of how amazing the plot may or may not be. And in the end, it didn't work for me here. Most of the stories were too overly descriptive. Every other sentence was a metaphor, comparing and contrasting, and trying too hard to create imagery. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it just gave me a headache. I had to skim a story or two cause I really didn't even know or care what was going on. Sometimes a tree is just a tree, okay, not a sign of hope or everlasting light or new found love.
So A for effort? But it was just too much for me. I might reread it or at least skim over it a bit again just so I can add in some more specific details to this review, and maybe my opinion will change, but for now: 2.5/5.
"Sometimes I think love is a tiny island in a great roaring river. You either hold on or you don't."
*This book was received free through a Goodreads giveaway.
It's taking me a long time to try to put into words how I feel about this book. I read it over a year ago and I'm still having problems. It wasn't particularly bad or anything. I didn't hate it. Some of the stories I did enjoy. And there were a few quotes I think were pretty awesome, but. Meh. It wasn't my cup of tea, I suppose.
Writing style can make or break a story regardless of how amazing the plot may or may not be. And in the end, it didn't work for me here. Most of the stories were too overly descriptive. Every other sentence was a metaphor, comparing and contrasting, and trying too hard to create imagery. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it just gave me a headache. I had to skim a story or two cause I really didn't even know or care what was going on. Sometimes a tree is just a tree, okay, not a sign of hope or everlasting light or new found love.
So A for effort? But it was just too much for me. I might reread it or at least skim over it a bit again just so I can add in some more specific details to this review, and maybe my opinion will change, but for now: 2.5/5.
"Sometimes I think love is a tiny island in a great roaring river. You either hold on or you don't."
*This book was received free through a Goodreads giveaway.
September 9, 2014
Losing Found Things is a walk thru a series of short stories which will grab ahold of you and refuse to let go.
Dark, raw, passionate, terrific and fierce, Brett Garcia Rose's collection of short stories made me feel as though I had been taken by the nape of my neck, shaken vigoriously, and dipped into his prose like glorious dark chocolate. The characters and settings enthrall the reader, sucking you into each tale with the only way out being to continue reading thru, hold on tight and enjoy the ride.
The descriptive depth of these tales made laugh, cry, and ache right along with characters, and made me see the world through their eyes.
One thing, and by no means a criticism, but it should be noted that these tales might be a little much for young adults, and is probably not the best choice for your tween. Not that the tales come across overtly; they are absolutely poetic and 'ring true' if that makes sense. But yeah, some of the situations might be a bit much for kids.
That said, this one is for you. Read this collection. Stunning, chillingly brilliant.
*I received this book for free, courtesy of GoodReads First Reads*
Dark, raw, passionate, terrific and fierce, Brett Garcia Rose's collection of short stories made me feel as though I had been taken by the nape of my neck, shaken vigoriously, and dipped into his prose like glorious dark chocolate. The characters and settings enthrall the reader, sucking you into each tale with the only way out being to continue reading thru, hold on tight and enjoy the ride.
The descriptive depth of these tales made laugh, cry, and ache right along with characters, and made me see the world through their eyes.
One thing, and by no means a criticism, but it should be noted that these tales might be a little much for young adults, and is probably not the best choice for your tween. Not that the tales come across overtly; they are absolutely poetic and 'ring true' if that makes sense. But yeah, some of the situations might be a bit much for kids.
That said, this one is for you. Read this collection. Stunning, chillingly brilliant.
*I received this book for free, courtesy of GoodReads First Reads*
August 8, 2014
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
This book is different from all the books I have read. Losing Found Things had an unique voice that I would expect for some readers to not find enjoyable. However, I am a sucker for all types of genres and books.
These short stories were very raw and gritty. They weren't sugarcoated and explained in the way that wouldn't make you feel nice and sunshiny. This story made you feel uncomfortable and melancholy, but it makes you think about things you're missing or trying to fix.
What lowered the star rating for this book wasn't the way the stories were written and connected. It was some of the characters- I couldn't connect with them... but I didn't expect myself to.
I felt as if I was thrust in a place that was "perfectly fragile". Where everyone had flaws that showed and it felt real.
Scars can never be healed fully, it leaves a mark on you. A lot like this book does.
I recommend reading this if you want to think and snuggle up somewhere alone.
Thank you Mr. Rose for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
This book is different from all the books I have read. Losing Found Things had an unique voice that I would expect for some readers to not find enjoyable. However, I am a sucker for all types of genres and books.
These short stories were very raw and gritty. They weren't sugarcoated and explained in the way that wouldn't make you feel nice and sunshiny. This story made you feel uncomfortable and melancholy, but it makes you think about things you're missing or trying to fix.
What lowered the star rating for this book wasn't the way the stories were written and connected. It was some of the characters- I couldn't connect with them... but I didn't expect myself to.
I felt as if I was thrust in a place that was "perfectly fragile". Where everyone had flaws that showed and it felt real.
Scars can never be healed fully, it leaves a mark on you. A lot like this book does.
I recommend reading this if you want to think and snuggle up somewhere alone.
Thank you Mr. Rose for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
August 9, 2014
Normally I like to wait a day or so after finishing a book before I write my review. I will not do that this time. I have only just finished the last word of the last sentence of the last story and I can not contain my excitement any longer than it has already taken for my browser to load this page.
Brett Garcia Rose is a phenomenal writer. I would be honored to meet him someday and have a conversation with him about nothing in particular just to hear him speak as he writes because I know that he would. Each of his stories is beautifully written and breat-takingly true. There are thousands of things everyday that we struggle to ignore or don't even notice. These are the things that he eloquently describes and forces you to pay attention to. There is such depth to his writing and to these characters that can only be developed through unbridled honesty and attention to the dirty little details.
I have little more to say other than, read these stories and learn something about life, death, love, hate, despair and hope along the way. Happy Reading.
Brett Garcia Rose is a phenomenal writer. I would be honored to meet him someday and have a conversation with him about nothing in particular just to hear him speak as he writes because I know that he would. Each of his stories is beautifully written and breat-takingly true. There are thousands of things everyday that we struggle to ignore or don't even notice. These are the things that he eloquently describes and forces you to pay attention to. There is such depth to his writing and to these characters that can only be developed through unbridled honesty and attention to the dirty little details.
I have little more to say other than, read these stories and learn something about life, death, love, hate, despair and hope along the way. Happy Reading.
July 31, 2014
I received this book via GoodReads First Reads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
~~~~
"We're all broken, and the scars we trade are all that remain of our fragile, once complex lives."
----
I enjoyed this collection of short stories... We're introduced to various ordinary people and gives a glimpse in their lives. Nobody's perfect, they all have their own problems. A couple of the people I downright hated but I still enjoyed the stories.
The author paints a vivid and raw picture of everyone, he draws you right in and makes you feel like a fly on the on the wall listening in.
There were a couple stories I was 'meh' on, they were good but I couldn't get into them (Not gonna say which ones here so I don't spoil it for ya)... but overall its a wonderful collection of stories. I loved that Mr. Rose never sugarcoats anything and gives these people rough edges.
Would recommend :)
Happy reading!
~~~~
"We're all broken, and the scars we trade are all that remain of our fragile, once complex lives."
----
I enjoyed this collection of short stories... We're introduced to various ordinary people and gives a glimpse in their lives. Nobody's perfect, they all have their own problems. A couple of the people I downright hated but I still enjoyed the stories.
The author paints a vivid and raw picture of everyone, he draws you right in and makes you feel like a fly on the on the wall listening in.
There were a couple stories I was 'meh' on, they were good but I couldn't get into them (Not gonna say which ones here so I don't spoil it for ya)... but overall its a wonderful collection of stories. I loved that Mr. Rose never sugarcoats anything and gives these people rough edges.
Would recommend :)
Happy reading!
August 15, 2014
I received this book as part of the Goodreads FirstReads giveaways.
I read this collection of short stories in a few hours. The images of the characters that the authors create is quite real and raw. I actually felt as if they were real people with problems. I could relate to many of the characters and not all the stories ended with a happy ending. It was so realistic and true to life. Reading some of the character's problems made me realize how lucky my life is and how 'easy' it is compared to others.
I enjoyed most of the stories immensely and felt drawn into the characters even though they were only short stories. The story on the airplane had me especially captivated. The ending was so sad as well and stayed with me. I am really glad I was given the chance to read these stories.
I would highly recommend!
I read this collection of short stories in a few hours. The images of the characters that the authors create is quite real and raw. I actually felt as if they were real people with problems. I could relate to many of the characters and not all the stories ended with a happy ending. It was so realistic and true to life. Reading some of the character's problems made me realize how lucky my life is and how 'easy' it is compared to others.
I enjoyed most of the stories immensely and felt drawn into the characters even though they were only short stories. The story on the airplane had me especially captivated. The ending was so sad as well and stayed with me. I am really glad I was given the chance to read these stories.
I would highly recommend!
August 26, 2014
I just received this book free through Goodreads First Reads. I don't usually read short stories, but I really enjoyed the ones in this book. They were definitely dark, but said a lot about humanity with rich metaphors and sharp details. Some of the stories were better than others. With some of them I was left wishing they were longer, while others I felt could have been left out entirely. Overall though, this was definitely worth the read. Now that I have read it I will be donating the book to my local library where I work and will encourage others to write a review.
August 11, 2014
The best and most interesting thing about this very depressing book is the forward in which Brett Garcia Rose describes his life and his overcoming being a stutterer.
The short stories, as I say, are depressing...but the writing when sentences or phrases are repetitive annoyed me.
An example from "Glass Handcuffs":
"I am Intermittent Explosive Disorder."
"I am Malingering."
"i ams Munchausen Syndrome."
"I am Dissociative Fugue"
"I am Trichotillomania.
This is one paragraph and this appears in many of his sad short stories.
The short stories, as I say, are depressing...but the writing when sentences or phrases are repetitive annoyed me.
An example from "Glass Handcuffs":
"I am Intermittent Explosive Disorder."
"I am Malingering."
"i ams Munchausen Syndrome."
"I am Dissociative Fugue"
"I am Trichotillomania.
This is one paragraph and this appears in many of his sad short stories.
August 28, 2014
Short book, but took me longer than expected to get through it considering I only enjoyed two of the stories. I just couldn't get used to the writing style of the author. "Enormous yellow taxis glide by silently like beluga whales" is the one sentence in the entire book that stands out and made me question reading the rest of the book. If you can deal with more sentences like that, you'll probably like this book more than I did.
I received this book through a goodreads giveaway.
I received this book through a goodreads giveaway.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews