Helen on 86th Street and Other Stories

by Wendi Kaufman

In Helen on 86th Street and Other Stories, girls grow into women and women become wise in portraits filled with biting humor and small but hard-earned victories. One girl makes a burnt offering of letters written to her wayward father, while another struggles to leave her dying father and face adult life. Women navigate the rocky shoals of adultery, illness, and infertility as they make their way in an unsteady world, where the heart is easily betrayed and loyalty is rarely a straightforward matter. Wendi Kaufman writes intimately of daughters, mothers, and lovers, of first loves and difficult truths. This is the long-awaited celebration of a wry, unblinking, and ultimately triumphant literary voice.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

198 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2014

Reviews

[Literary Mama]

Helen on 86th Street and Other Stories by the late Wendi Kaufman is smart, hilarious, heartbreaking, and beautiful. With clean and precise prose, Kaufman has assembled a brilliant collection of short stories about women. The 14 pieces within the book are constructed in layers—story, metaphor, myth, and reflection—built to be both accessible and yet complicated. Her pieces may be read once for meaning and then again for nuance and insight, each ending with a thrilling flourish, tempting a reader to rush ahead into the next piece. But Kaufman's stories deserve to be concluded with a pause, a sigh of release, and a reflection. Though each piece has enough substance to stand on its own, as a collection, Kaufman's stories have a satisfying synergy.

Read Literary Mama's full review here: http://www.literarymama.com/reviews/a...

[Megan Stolz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit surprised by how much I enjoyed this collection. I bought it mostly to support a local author and a local start-up press, but I genuinely enjoyed the entire collection (although I think I would have switched the order of the last two stories, but that might partially be personal preference). It's difficult to write such short stories so well, and there was a definite care in the crafting. A lovely read for a quiet evening.

[Carolyn Russett · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Helen on 86th Street and Other Stories, girls grow into women and women become wise in portraits filled with biting humor and small but hard-earned victories. One girl makes a burnt offering of letters written to her wayward father, while another struggles to leave her dying father and face adult life. Women navigate the rocky shoals of adultery, illness, and infertility as they make their way in an unsteady world, where the heart is easily betrayed and loyalty is rarely a straightforward matter. Wendi Kaufman writes intimately of daughters, mothers, and lovers, of first loves and difficult truths.
i'm not a big short story reader but a friend recommended this book. Am very glad I picked it up. I really enjoyed the stories and loved the fact that they were short...easy to read in a short span of time when you only have 10 minutes.
Definitely worth the read.

[Story Circle Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of hopefully many more books to come, Helen on 86th Street is a compilation of fourteen engaging and thought-provoking stories that feature women at difference ages and stages of their lives. Award-winning author Wendi Kaufman provides readers with a close-up observation of a host of dynamic characters, some named while others remain nameless. Many of these women are desperately trying to move beyond their complicated yet true-to-life scenarios. And while the voices of these women alternate first to third person from story to story, Kaufman also uses the rarest mode in literature—second person narrative—in two of her tales.

In "Talk," Kaufman presents an unnamed thirty-year-old woman who is viewed differently by those who talk to her. To name a few key players in that account, the woman's mother addresses her as if she is a child, while her boyfriend places her on the level of an idiot. In "Intimate Landscape," a wife tells her husband that she is ready to make a baby. But what starts out as an exciting sensual adventure turns into one disappointment after the other. Keeping in mind that Kaufman is using the second-person "you" in both stories, readers should not be surprised if they find themselves mentally walking in these women's shoes. How many of us can relate to hearing condescending voices over the years, suddenly losing our autonomy and being told what to do? Or trying to start a family, hoping against hope that, maybe this time around, we'll finally conceive?

Many of Kaufman's character sketches are teenage girls in broken homes. Yet within these circumstances, these teenage heroines are not only introspective, but they also take a critical look at those who most affect their lives, namely their parents. For example, Josie in "Package Deal" plays more of a practical role when looking into colleges for her boyfriend and herself than does her sickly father. In "Still Life," Luce goes against her mother's wishes about leaving for summer camp because she wants to be home with her boyfriend. Though she is smitten with teen love, Luce has a uncanny ability to see right through her parents' immaturity and lack of responsibility.

Helen on 86th Street is a definite must read.

by Anita Lock
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories were nicely crafted. I particularly enjoyed "Visitation Day" and "Package Deal" in addition to the title story. When I read her descriptions of New York seen through a child's eyes, I am carried back to the same time and place. Lovely work, so very sad that this is all there will be.

[Valerie Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little collection of short stories by my friend Wendi, these moving little tales speak from the heart about intense emotions, growing up, and hard truth. Local goodreads buddies are welcome to borrow my copy so you can see for yourself.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi Kauffman's writing takes my breath away. She shows women in all stages of life, in all manner of circumstance, full of emotion and entanglement. She writes with grace of often graceless human beings. These short stories are remarkably well crafted and a pleasure to read.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely to hear Wendie's voice in these stories.

[Melody Schreiber · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Fabulous, assured voice
-Lots of stories involving young-ish women and much older men, especially concerning extramarital affairs.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my type of read just for school


NO REVIEW TO BE GIVEN DUE TO MY PREFERENCES.



FINISHED: JANUARY 05,2015

[Shelby Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of stories about women and girls navigating life.

[Lisa Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a huge short story fan but her writing was exceptional.