The State We're In: Maine Stories

by Ann Beattie

From a multiple prize–winning master of the short form: a stunning collection of brand-new, linked stories that perfectly capture the zeitgeist through the voices of vivid and engaging women from adolescence to old age.

“We build worlds for ourselves wherever we go,” writes Ann Beattie. The State We’re In, her magnificent new collection of linked stories, is about how we live in the places we have chosen—or been chosen by. It’s about the stories we tell our families, our friends, and ourselves, the truths we may or may not see, how our affinities unite or repel us, and where we look for love.

Many of these stories are set in Maine, but The State We’re In is about more than geographical location, and certainly is not a picture postcard of the coastal state. Some characters have arrived by accident, others are trying to get out. The collection opens, closes, and is interlaced with stories that focus on Jocelyn, a wryly disaffected teenager living with her aunt and uncle while attending summer school. As in life, the narratives of other characters interrupt Jocelyn’s, sometimes challenging, sometimes embellishing her view.

Riveting, witty, sly, idiosyncratic, and bold, these stories describe a state of mind, a manner of being—now. A Beattie story, says Margaret Atwood, is “like a fresh bulletin from the front: we snatch it up, eager to know what’s happening out there on the edge of that shifting and dubious no-man’s-land known as interpersonal relations.” The State We’re In is a fearless exploration of contemporary life by a brilliant writer whose fiction startles as it illuminates.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Literary Fiction, The United States Of America, Audiobook, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

206 pages, Hardcover

First published April 13, 2015

About the author

Ann Beattie (born September 8, 1947) is an American short story writer and novelist. She has received an award for excellence from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and a PEN/Bernard Malamud Award for excellence in the short story form. Her work has been compared to that of Alice Adams, J.D. Salinger, John Cheever, and John Updike. She holds an undergraduate degree from American University and a masters degree from the University of Connecticut.

Reviews

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have listened to the mediocre review in the Times! Especially when there are so rarely mediocre reviews in the Times, I should learn that "mediocre" is code for "not very good at all." But I'm a sucker for anything about Maine and I figured these would at least be fun short stories. They weren't. I am struggling to articulate exactly WHY I objected to them, but it strikes me that they seemed very writerly. Beattie is lauded for being a master of the form, but these short stories alternated between being so banal as to not really be about anything at all and being totally preposterous in a way that seems to almost be a provocation. Sometimes I think this is what writers admire in short stories--that they have a special kind of high-brow language all their own--but this reader did not enjoy them. Also: they weren't really about Maine at all. I'm not sure what would make a short story "about" its location (Maine or otherwise) but Maine felt pretty incidental to these stories, despite the fact that most of them seemed to take place somewhere in the state.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've avoided reading Ann Beattie for the same reason I've avoided the rest of the dirty realism crowd. I emerged from my literary awakening as an undergraduate student to survey the contemporary scene and found much of what was being taught, especially in fiction writing workshops, boring and artless compared to the modernism and postmodernism of Joyce, Woolf, Pynchon, etc. Obviously, I've softened my stance somewhat (though I still consider Carver a sham who set back American letters by at least a decade) which brings me to this unusual collection of linked short stories, The State We're In. These 15 stories are heavy on dialogue, loaded with tangents, and depend on back story enlivened through conversation, which is either coarse and contentious or fussily proper. Beattie's characters are an interesting mix of young and old but they all seem to suffer from various states of disconnectedness, the malaise of the modern age. Stories hinge on gossipy neighbors, dissatisfied lovers, and bickering family members who are unable or unwilling to put aside their perceptions and really get to know each other. This, apparently, is the state we're in, and Beattie's style and approach to storytelling is well-suited to the role of holding up a mirror and showing us our selfie-taking selves. Many reviewers and critics have suggested that Beattie's fidelity to "real talk" and self-indulgent digressions detract from the narrative rather than contribute to it, but I'm not so quick to dismiss these detours as the nattering of old ladies or compulsive complaining of the very young. The stories communicate with each other through shared characters and narrative echoes that work on a deeper level. By linking these disconnected characters together in ways that aren't immediately fathomable, Beattie seems to be suggesting there might be hope for us after all.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a lot of Ann Beattie's stuff back in the eighties. I honestly can't say I remember much about her work; some vaguely dissatisfied characters who sat around, drank wine, discussed their problems and had sex. Hmm . . . without even meaning to, I just described what happens in this story. It's nice to know that even decades later, some things never change.

Read for free here - http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/201... - if you're so inclined.

[Martie Nees Record · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linked short stories taking place in Maine that are depressing, sometimes dark, and usually funny as we watch the characters make good and poor decisions about their lives with each story clearly written in a way not to have closure. One of my favorite characters is a bratty teen named Jocelyn who we meet in the first story. But we have to cut Jocelyn some slack once we learn that: 1) her mother is in a hospital, 2) the guy she likes in a hospital, 3) she is spending the summer with an uncle she sort of likes, 4) and an aunt she hates, 5) while going to summer school where her English teacher assigns TEN required papers in ONE month, 6) plus she is especially upset to learn that she is going to a summer school for troubled teens, 7) but it turns out her mom isn’t in the hospital but with a new boyfriend, 8) which is why she farmed out Jocelyn to her aunt and uncle in the first. In another story about widowhood one of my favorite lines is “(We) were at those points in our lives when everything made sense in not making sense, you know?" In all of the fifteen stories the author seems to be saying that a good life is not about happy endings rather it is about coming across moments of happiness.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry for ending 2015 with some shady reviews, but I have no idea why I read "Major Maybe". I know Ann Beattie has a ton of talent - more than I will ever have - but aside from the underlying theme of nostalgia in this piece, I found it pretty purposeless. People sit and reminisce and eat and have sex. So what? Perhaps the prose confused me or obscured this piece's real intent. I wanted more.

[Josh Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest collection from Beattie, the mistress of the short story form, after a gap of about ten years. The 15 short stories are loosely interconnected, and bookended by two pieces on 17-year-old Jocelyn, as she spends her summer with her uncle and aunt, while her mom, Myrtis, convalesces from her illness.

The importance of place, not so much geographically, but where we are emotionally and who we are in relation to, is alluded to in the title, "The State We're In". Unlike her previous collections, the minimalist style Beattie is best known for is not always evident in these stories. Not that this makes the collection any weaker, and in fact the stream of consciousness of her characters' thoughts, as well as the narrators' nervous chatter that never quite stay on topic, are emblematic of the inconstancy and flippancy of our times.

"Major Maybe" best exemplifies the way these stories seem to be about one thing, but then meander off to find another focus, much like how life is. The story is where you cast your eye. The above-said story starts with an incident about a dog that the narrator and her roommate witnesses while rehearsing lines for the latter's acting class. It then becomes a reflective piece about the undefinable relationship she has with him. That innocuous incident proves to be a turning point, but still there is no easy resolution. Years later, she revisits the apartment on Airbub, and the key to her lingering feelings about him and the time they spent together is in the last line as she reflects on the base of flowers in the photographs, as tacit as that remark seems: "Indelible, the yellow pollen on the floor".

Beattie is still the indisputable queen of the averted glance that draws attention to where the real action is.

[Mama K · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. loved her old stuff, but that last two collections didn't really catch my attention. Just TELL ME A STORY; don't impress me with your command of language and your playing with style. in fact, her novels are much better now than her newest story collections. if you want a good collection of stories by Beattie, read collection of her New Yorker stories instead. it showcases her earlier stuff and is a fantastic read.

[Chris Roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Author Ann Beattie is the poster child for tight ass readers who, along with her, worry every written word, a misplaced adjective is the beginning and middle of The End Days and the stories read claustrophobic, micromanaged and will drain every molecule of positive energy you posses.

I had a mental break because of these stories and am writing from the Lunatic Asylum. I'm sending Ann Beattie the bill. Thank you so much Miss Lady for putting me here.

Chris Roberts

[False · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading her at the beginning of her career. She was slightly older. She was considered a master of the short story, even at a young age. I could never warm to her work. Then I just stopped reading her altogether. I probably checked this out because it said "Maine Stories," and I thought, "Let's see what she does with that." I had to force myself to finish the book. Her sentences are grammatically correct and impeccable. She also excels at details in the details: a disaffected teen pulling at the toe of her tights, and releasing dust motes while tugging on already regretted bangs. In the end, you just don't care about the people she is portraying. It's almost like sociopathic fiction. She puts her subjects under a microscope, she can charm, but in the end you don't feel a thing for these people of her imagination.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly enjoyable collection of female-centered short stories, loosely tied together. Great writing style, vivid characters, delightful anecdotes. Felt like a drone dipping in on different Maine households, spying on their lives from above. Fun to be among the first to read this, courtesy of the advance copy I won on a Goodreads giveaway.

Background:
I had put this book on my to-read list when the San Francisco Chronicle book review of this short story collection was extremely favorable a few months ago... since it was on my to-read list, I received a notification from Goodreads that there were advance copies available through their giveaway, and was delighted to have won an advance uncorrected proof of this story collection this month.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this book through First Reads, thank you! What drew me to enter the giveaway was spending time this summer in Maine on vacation. Maine is certainly not the focus here, nor did I think it would be, more so a common backdrop linking these women together, perhaps that people from or to Maine or New England or anywhere for that matter may think and behave in geographic-specific ways, or at least have similar influences on them? Maine surprised me and many of these women surprised me too.

I thoroughly enjoyed all these stories, particularly the off/on telling of Jocelyn's. I almost felt like the other stories were a bit of an intrusion, that I just wanted to get back to her story, and I didn't want it to end, I wanted to hear more of what happened to her, Raleigh and Bettina. The point that the other stories symbolized that our narratives are often interrupted was interesting and, I think, worked the way they were intended. Loved that this work highlighted different types of women and their states of mind, strong, peculiar and sarcastic.

The true star of this book is Jocelyn and the cast of characters involved in her story. Honestly, would've been happy if the entire book were about her, not to say I didn't enjoy getting to know the others. I found Ann Beattie's writing compelling and sharp, hadn't read any of it beforehand but will go back and read more now!

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of Ann Beattie's short stories in The State We're In are set in Maine. Her Maine is inhabited primarily by new residents or visitors who live close to the coast, south of Portland, and very close to the New Hampshire border. As a Maine writer myself, I read this book primarily to see how Beattie pictured my state. Yes, I loved some of her characters (her stories center on characters, not plot). But -- Maine? Not so much. Without her occasionally dropping in the name of a town or store or college ... a reader couldn't tell where the stories were set. I was disappointed; Beattie is a summer resident of Maine, and must have met a few Mainers who weren't from away. But if she has, they weren't in this book. Enjoy the stories, but don't look for Maine in them.

[Paul Secor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I go back to 1976 with Ann Beattie's books - the year Chilly Scenes of Winter and Distortions were published. I enjoyed her quirky characters, even if I couldn't say that I knew anyone like them.
This went on for about twenty years and, over time, I found myself more and more distanced from her characters, though there were times when the connection was still there.
I find myself even more distanced from the stories in The State We're In. Many of them have open ended conclusions, almost as if she's saying that life is open ended (at least until it ends), so why not stories.
I'm not quite sure what more to say about this book. It's almost as if Ann Beattie has lost her mojo. I hope that she finds it again.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really terrific short story collection. I often find myself disappointed in short story collections for their unevenness or repetition. This collection was assembled beautifully. The stories spoke to each other and made connections in ways that didn't seem arbitrary or over coincidental. As a collection goes--this is one of the finest I've seen. I probably should have read it more slowly and allowed more time to digest and make connections. The collection would be a great one to teach and probably deserves another read though on my part.

[Stephen Gallup · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read The State We're In a couple years ago, I made the mistake of bingeing. Regardless of how enjoyable they may be, that's usually a bad way to approach any collection of short stories, because the impression one ends up with can feel muddled. I've now gone back and re-read them all over a period of several days and am finally more able to describe my impressions.

A few of these are complete stand-alone stories in the traditional mold. "The Little Hutchinsons" is an example, and being somewhat traditional in my preferences I particularly liked that one. Others are vignettes focusing on a moment in time, such as a woman trying to rescue a baby bird that had fallen into her blue recycling bin. Many conclude with a seeming non-sequitur. We're told for example that the woman saving the bird had "never made a pie in her life." (Was it a blackbird?)

Opening paragraphs also tend to veer off in unexpected directions, as do conversations, although there are connections that make sense to the speakers. The effect is a seemingly spontaneous, impromptu depiction of life, one that achieves realism as well as hinting at truth.

I believe all of the stories are set in or around York, Maine (a coastal town south of Portland), and to some extent they're linked. Many concern a teenage girl named Jocelyn, who is spending the summer with her Uncle Raleigh—"a nice man but also sort of an idiot"—and "his dim wife, Aunt Bettina Louise Thompkins, whose initials were BLT" (an appropriate observation in view of Bettina's fondness for eating). If assembled, the subset of Jocelyn stories might comprise a novella.

When first coming to this, I noted that some readers were unhappy because they'd expected more local color about Maine. That is the locale, yes, and there are references to pebbly beaches, black flies, and gale-force winds. But I don't think that's the point. Rather, these are moments of human experience, ranging from odd details that sound genuine (e.g., a girl who goes to the trouble of applying only one kind of makeup: "one night mascara, another night lipstick") to the irony of a young scholar planning a book about famous people who'd made their friends unhappy while by chance everyone in his personal life is making him unhappy. Beattie is probably speaking through that scholar when he comments that people like to read about "peculiar actions. Especially ones that aren’t hugely significant."

And again, there's the dialog. Can you picture the people saying this?

"We love to bitch at each other, don't we. Remember when we had real arguments? I hated your secretary. I still resent how bossy she was. Or I resent how cowardly you were in her presence. It bothered you so much that she was overqualified for the job. Why didn't you hire someone unqualified?"

"Say that again. I like to see your expression when you say 'unqualified.' Also, may I ask why you're suddenly sitting on the bed staring at me and acting like I'm obliged to be the evening's entertainment?"

As I've mentioned in commenting on other books by Ann Beattie, I took a writing course under her many years ago. We've been back in touch off and on since then, so maybe I'm not impartial. Still, I think anyone who cares about modern literature, or about the way people live these days, ought at least to be familiar with her work.

[Allen Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/the-...

As a reader, I’ve always been fond of short fiction. Collections are especially enjoyable – all those beginnings, middles and ends waiting to be consumed at whatever pace I so choose. It’s the reading equivalent of a television series added all at once to a streaming service; you can watch one at a time or go until you can’t anymore.

Ann Beattie’s “The State We’re In: Maine Stories” is an example of the latter. Beattie is a noted purveyor of the form, one of the most celebrated short fiction writers out there. And now, with her first collection in a decade, we are offered the opportunity to experience a master at work.

There are 15 stories here, a series of loosely connected narratives revolving around a young lady named Jocelyn, who has been shipped off to Maine to live with her aunt and uncle over the summer. We see her as she struggles with summer school and tries to make new friends. We see her deal with her dysfunctional relationship with her mother and a budding romance featuring plenty of complications.

However, while Jocelyn serves as the book’s central figure, these stories are not all about her. Far from it, in fact. Yes, some offer a fair amount of overlap, but others are only tangentially connected to her story; the one commonality is that each and every tale being told serves to fill in the details surrounding these people in this place. There’s a richness to the characterizations that is difficult to articulate; at the risk of sounding clichéd, Beattie has filled these pages with real people.

There’s the sad love story of “Adirondack Chairs,” filled with orchids and regrets. There’s the mysterious vacant house and Elvis lamp-filled room of “Elvis Is Ahead Of Us” and the well-meaning desperation of “The Fledgling,” in which a woman strives to save a fallen bird. Each of them – and all the rest – meticulously and efficiently packed with detail, with nary a word wasted in Beattie’s finely-honed prose. There’s nothing flashy about these stories, just a low-key honesty that makes every sentence ring true.

One of the more noteworthy things about these stories is that while they are undeniably OF Maine, they aren’t necessarily ABOUT Maine. Too often, writers who set their stories in our state feel a need to compulsively remind the reader of that setting. Giving life to the place and building it into its own character can be really wonderful … when it works. When it doesn’t, it simply feels derivative and lazy.

Beattie goes a different route. Instead of focusing on the trappings of location, she builds her tales from the inside out. These are stories about people, not places; she deftly places her characters into a world that is recognizably Maine while avoiding the standard stereotypes and tropes. Even the stories that take place outside of Maine (“Major Maybe” is a particularly good example) have the same general carriage and attitude.

But ultimately, “The State We’re In” isn’t about where these people are so much as it is about how they feel when they are there. That’s a major part of what makes these stories shine so brightly. I know these people. You know these people. And in “The State We’re In,” we get a vivid portrayal of the quiet dramas and small victories inherent to everyday life.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a good Ann Beattie short story. It's not one of her best, but it's worth reading. If you have a New Yorker in hand i would read it :-)

Merged review:

I was only a little hesitant to read this because of mixed reviews, I had read Major Maybe short story within this collection that was published in the New Yorker and I wanted more of the same or similar stories. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this latest collection of short stories by Ann Beattie. This collection of slice of life vignettes has some cohesion, There are 3 short stories which are continuation of the same characters story over time. I was entertained by most of the stories, I forgot what was on my mind and was immersed in the stories, hoping most of the stories were longer instead of counting the pages remaining and skipping around.

As for the content itself, it's very dark and brooding at times, some of that is due to the characters age in terms of physical health and well being and state of mind, most of the characters and scenes are fascinating to watch unfold. This collection ties in, somewhat. There's no surprise to me that Ann Beattie didn't draw vivid descriptions of the Maine landscape, I don't recall her ever detailing the geography or landmarks in her writing. She touched various characters with health issues, mortality crisis, foreclosures, Elvis Art, subtle changes in time and place.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first experience with Beattie. I found her stories to be intriguing and told with close attention to both the truly mundane, lifelike details that signify a realistic portrayal of something, and also some incredibly peculiar components that mark good fiction and cause you to lean in. We come to stories to learn about ourselves and the world, and often what we find in them is this mix of the familiar and the not-so-familiar. You can tell Beattie is a storyteller accustomed to mixing the two.

I found that I really liked the stories about Jocelyn and her aunt and uncle, and felt a little thrown off as the book moved to so many different places and scenes. They were all interesting and certainly connected in the sense that they explored how how we are and what we're dealing with internally affects what we do and who we are. But I wished more attention would have been paid to fewer characters.

However, Beattie developed these scenes and characters exceptionally well, and only a few stories left me confused and wondering what was the point. Even then, that's what I love about the short story - so much can be said in so few words, and if it doesn't give you something to chew on, well, what's the use?

[Melissa Acuna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subtitle here is superfluous. These stories could have taken place anywhere--there is nothing about the descriptions of place or the characters themselves that make these Maine stories. There is the occasional insertion of the name of a local York establishment, such as The Stage Neck Inn or the Dockside, but then nothing to distinguish that place from a restaurant or hotel in Ames, Iowa or Cleveland. She does manage to avoid the faux pas of others who have tried to write about Maine without really understanding it (rabbits on Cape Neddick? Not for years. Tarter sauce for a lobster roll--never!)

None of that, however, has to do with the rating. That is due to the utter lack of resolution, of interesting dilemma or characters in most of these inter-woven stories. There is absolutely no reason to read these stories.

[Nancy Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't thrilled by this. Either Beattie's earlier writing was better or I've grown tired of her style. Every once in a while there was a great turn of phrase or piece of dialogue, but in general I found these stories thin and unsatisfying. And saying they are "linked" is misleading--I spent way too much time trying to figure out how characters from one story were or were not showing up in another, which was hard because I didn't find many of them memorable.

[Nanaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. I struggled to finish it and quickly read through it. There was not much Maine in any of the stories. A lot of messy sentences and she kept trying to make weird interesting characters with a lack of success. Disappointed. The stories seemed pointless and annoying.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of linked stories - Maine
Excellent - voice, sentences, characters

"about how we live int he places we live- or have been chosen by"

was in Maine while I was reading this

[Joan Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beattie maintains her magic touch in the short story genre. There’s not one loser is this masterly collection. Her ear for dialogue is exact, her characters real.

[Shelby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. Literally felt like every story was worse than the last.

[Call Me Cordelia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, I only got through half of the book. It was a gift. Things Ms. Beattie could’ve done to make this book better:

1. Hire a ghost writer.
2. Hire an editor.
3. Buy and USE a thesaurus.
4. Oh, actually write about Maine - since it’s in the title!

However, I am using several of her sentences in my middle school grammar class as examples of bad writing, bad form, and uninspiring word usage and the kids are having a ball re-writing them. It’s a hoot.

[Vincent Scarpa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just...wanted these stories to be better than they were? Is that a useless review?

[Rowe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this 5 years ago and couldn't remember a single story in it. They go really fast. I paid more attention this time; it took me a week or so to finish. What I admire about this collection is it's minimalism. It's abundant with minimalism. Sometimes too much of a small thing becomes a slow read, like the last story "A Repurposed Barn." I wouldn't even know where to begin describing an auction, so brava for Beattie for going there. The writing can be so staccato that reading becomes painful. An interesting experience. I love Maine; well the idea of it.

[Brandyyy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not good

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have to say that I was slightly disappointed with the set of stories in this collection. Billed as a " Maine Stories " collection, one would have to give a great deal of forbearance to go along with that. Many of the stories take place outside of Maine with only the most fragile of connections to the state.

Outside of that little bit of falseness, however, the problem is that the stories are fairly nondescript. A character from one story might pop us as a peripheral character in another, an event on one story might be referenced in another, but the levels of connectedness, if that was a goal, are weak.

The stories featuring Jocelyn, a high school girl spending the summer with her uncle and aunt. She has been compelled to do this as her Mother is recovering from surgery and " other problems." As part of her summer vacation she has been taking a writing course in a summer school of sorts. We meet and learn about Jocelyn in the books first and last stories as well as in the lengthy " Endless Rain Into a Paper Cup."

One thing I will say for the author is that her mastery of character dialogue is impressive. A couple of the stories are really nothing more than ongoing conversations between a couple of characters. Scattershot, haphazard, rising and lowering in intensity, these should remind us all of the back and forth we experience everyday. Three stories: The Stroke, Silent Prayer, and Road Movie demonstrate this style quite well.

Funny, in writing this, I have found more to think well of than I originally thought. Still far from perfect but worth your time.

[Kirsten Mickelwait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne Beattie never disappoints. Her years of experience writing novels and short stories is evident in the way she crafts every sentence. You just sit back and let her fly the plane. Beattie is a resident of Maine, and it shows in the confident, quirky way she uses her home state as a backdrop to this collection of stories, some of them linked. I listened to the book on Audible, wearing headphones as I took my morning walk -- what a pleasant way to kill two birds with one stone!

The only drawback to listening to short stories, I've found, is that the endings are always totally unexpected. Unlike a novel, in which you can often sense that you're coming to the end of the story, short pieces never give you that heads-up. So I find I'm always startled at the end -- you don't have the visual clue to see that you're running out of track on the last page.

Anyway, thanks, Anne Beattie, for being so prolific. And so talented.