That May Not Mean What You Think: Stories

by Elizabeth Crane

A visionary and profound new collection from innovative author Elizabeth Crane

Throughout her body of work, Elizabeth Crane’s literary vision has always been singular and innovative, twisting form and bending reality into new universes. Her latest collection, That May Not Mean What You Think, explores themes of aging and youth, gender and discrimination, and sex and love. In “Training Module,” Crane takes the structure and protocol of workplace harassment prevention training and turns it on its head; “The Box” tells the story of a woman trying to recover from divorce with the help of a literal unicorn; and “The Youngs” follows a group of teenagers experiencing loss for the first time, clinging to the belief that they’ll live forever. Across these delightfully weird and disarmingly truthful stories, American culture is refracted through humor and heart, asking readers to consider their complicity and to imagine new possibilities of participating in a better future.

184 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2026

About the author

Elizabeth Crane is the author of two novels We Only Know So Much (now a major motion picture) and The History of Great Things (Harper Perennial) and four collections of short stories: When the Messenger Is Hot and All This Heavenly Glory (Little, Brown) and You Must Be This Happy to Enter (Akashic Books), and Turf (Counterpoint). Her work has been adapted for the stage by Steppenwolf Theater and featured on NPR's Selected Shorts. She is a winner of the Chicago Public Library 21st Century Award.

Reviews

[Noelle]

Had me laughing in the library. Never related so hard to a depressed (read: pensive) baby. Witty, charming, and tender stories. Highly recommend!

[Beth]

Long time Elizabeth Crane fan here! (Since When the Messenger Is Hot, which I was just startled to discover came out in 2003.) Training Module was my favorite, but I also liked Portrait of an Old Lady, Dudes, In Theory, The Depressed Baby, and The Language Police, Empath Division. Note: these funny, neurotic stories are best read in small doses.

[AGMaynard]

Story collection of humor, absurdity, sometimes pathos. Whether reality tv characters or a baby, the wit, voice, and observation are excellent. My favorites are Nemeses, The Depressed Baby, The Data, The Language Police.