The Secrets Men Keep

by Mark Sampson

The Secrets Men Keep is about the secrets men keep, and the comic possibilities that arise from our shifting sense of what it means to be a man. Taking an off-kilter approach to revealing the intricacies of modern relationships—relationships that can be at times funny, sensual, or tense—it’s about the lies that men tell themselves and others to keep their dreams and identities afloat. (Fiction)

177 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2015

About the author

Mark Sampson is a fiction writer, poet, book reviewer, and literary critic, originally from Prince Edward Island and now living and writing in Toronto. He is the author of eight books: the novels Lowfield (Now or Never Publishing, 2025), All the Animals on Earth (Wolsak & Wynn, 2020), The Slip (Dundurn, 2017), Sad Peninsula (Dundurn, 2014) and Off Book (Norwood Publishing, 2007); the short story collection The Secrets Men Keep (Now or Never Publishing, 2015); the poetry collection Weathervane (Palimpsest Press, 2016); and the poetry chapbook Big Wilson (Emergency Flash Mob Press, 2023).

Reviews

[Rebecca Rosenblum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did genuinely love this book but also--it's dedicated to me and written by my husband. So there may be some bias...but probably not.

[Koom Kankesan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up reading the collection in two days. I found Sampson's writing style very readable, as were the stories. I just wanted to keep reading right through and I realize this is just personal taste but that's the highest compliment I can accord a book. I guess the main secret that men keep in this book, if there is one, is that though fraught with insecurities, neuroses, and self doubt, these men are underneath it all, basically decent, sensitive, and thoughtful. Sampson's protagonists hearken back to an older, more decent model although they are very much beset with contemporary concerns. They are for the most part, young-ish, struggling with their identities, and though there is humour, there's a delectable kind of anxiety running through these stories. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I ended up relating to more than my fair share of them. Definitely recommended.

[Koom Kankesan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I read through it in two days. Its subject matter and style were especially readable which is a personal thing but the highest compliment I can pay a book. If the protagonists in these short stories do have a secret, it's that despite their insecurities, neuroses, and challenges, they're basically decent, thoughtful, earnest people - hearkening to an earlier time though their challenges are very much of the modern variety. Sampson brings a fair amount of care and good hearted-ness to his worlds; though there is humour, there is a fair amount of pathos too. I ended up relating more than my fair share. Recommended.