What Keeps Me Here: A Book of Stories

by Rebecca Brown

In this collection of stories, Brown's prose moves from stark realism to the wavering surrealism of fairy tales or dreams as she tells of a woman who is transformed from being a creator of paintings to a creation of her paintings; the effect of a forgotten past on a pair of lovers; or the effort to repair the physical damage of a faded relationship.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, LGBT, Queer

136 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 1996

About the author

Rebecca Brown’s diverse oeuvre contains collections of essays and short stories, a fictionalized autobiography, a modern bestiary, a memoir in the guise of a medical dictionary, a libretto for a dance opera, a play, and various kinds of fantasy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_...

Reviews

[tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah. I've read quite a few collections of short stories by various authors lately and each has been so unique but this one undubitably so. Brown writes surreal horror in stories such as "The Princess and the Pea", and "What Keeps Me Here" which were incredibly unsettling considering the brevity of words and the lack of flowery prose or description.

My two favourite, "Faith" and "The Relationship" were less surreal, but still haunting. Her sentences are stripped down and cold and the stories linger like goosebumps. The bad kind. In a good way.

"Bread", another of my favourites, is a story about a girl who loves a girl at her school - but love is hardly mentioned. It's the way Brown writes of this girl's infatuation with things such as how her love butters her croissant (the story is almost entirely of this), or the way she wears her shoes. Not the thumping of the heart, or the swoon of a crush - but that ache that you feel when you love someone who has no idea that you exist yet you feel like you know them so intimately.

You kind of have to read her work to understand what I mean and I wish my review could do her writing justice. I recommend this book - I definitely do, even if just one or two of the stories hit home.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing . . . Don't think I get it . . . frightening . . .would not recommend .

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are the stories that will be reread, again and again. And stay with you for life. This book is haunting and raw and truly beautiful.
I have loved this book since 1997 and no matter how many times I go back to read the stories, I find a new reason to fall in love each time.

'Bread' will always be my favorite as I have held onto obsessions that tightly and also been admired - and lonely.

I cherish my autographed copy that I scored online and I wish I could tell Rebecca Brown how these stories have etched themselves straight into my life over the last 28 years.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life affirming and sad and beautiful and harsh. Read in one sitting. Going to buy many copies and gift them to everyone. Rebecca Brown's writing is beautiful and I feel much more human and much less lonely after reading these stories. Can't wait to read everything else she has written.

PS - if anyone has a fan mail address for Brown please comment, thanks

[Britton]

signed copy. i want to marry rebecca brown.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting collection of short stories. I liked "Bread" and "The Enchantment" the most.
Several of the stories were very distributing.