Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets

by Jacob M. Appel

A magician's parrot recommends against donating a kidney to his girlfriend. Inside an antique grandfather clock, a dying child explores Ancient Athens. Rural Virginia is swept by an epidemic of human resurrections. An alien disguised as a Latvian chef opens unwittingly his restaurant opposite an abortion clinic. Jacob M. Appel's Miracles and Conundrums takes us to a world of hope and desperation, where everything is possible, but so much seems far beyond reach.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Humor, Science Fiction, Anthologies, Magical Realism, Adult

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2015

About the author

**Please note: A limited number of complimentary electronic copies of several of my books are available for review. Please email me directly if you are interested**

Jacob M. Appel's first novel, The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up, won the Dundee International Book Award in 2012. His short story collection, Scouting for the Reaper, won the 2012 Hudson Prize. He has published short fiction in more than two hundred literary journals including Agni, Conjunctions, Gettysburg Review, Southwest Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, and West Branch. His work has been short listed for the O. Henry Award (2001), Best American Short Stories (2007, 2008), Best American Essays (2011, 2012), and received "special mention" for the Pushcart Prize in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013.

Jacob holds a B.A. and an M.A. from Brown University, an M.A. and an M.Phil. from Columbia University, an M.S. in bioethics from the Alden March Bioethics Institute of Albany Medical College, an M.D. from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, an M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University, an M.F.A. in playwriting from Queens College, an M.P.H. from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He currently practices psychiatry in New York City.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have finally come around to enjoying short stories (hi, alan!) but i still do hate reviewing them. and unfortunately, i used up all my creativity on the last book of short stories i reviewed, so i'm at a loss.

i liked this collection slightly, only slightly less than Einstein's Beach House: Stories, but it's still an excellent read. like e.b.h., this one is also only eight stories long but the stories are of the "stick with you" variety, so it doesn't feel flimsy.

the cover is composed of visual touchstones for the stories within, even though there are only seven images, and i'm not sure which story the beakers or the thermometer are meant to connect to. but since a picture speaks a thousand words, and several pictures speak exponentially more words, i am going to go with a picture-based review because otherwise i'll get all bogged down trying to review each story separately which is not going to help me get through this giant stack of "to be reviewed" books i have cluttering up my windowsill. but i will select one or two representative lines for each story, for those of you who like words.

Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets

Vegetarianism was not an issue on Red Ziggy's home planet, where organic molecules were absorbed from the atmosphere through the skin.









Phoebe with Impending Frost

"Trust me," I assure her. "I'm a climatologist."







Invasive Species

"It's good practice for you too, Mama," says Celeste. "This way you won't be so lonely when I leave. You can just pretend I'm in the clock."









The Resurrection Bakeoff*

She thought I was crying because our time together loomed so short, not because I had used it so poorly.







The Orchard

That's why I prefer to focus on the present. If you have one good day, nobody can take that away from you."









The Grand Concourse

She'll be one tough baby. If I decide to keep her, that is.







Measures of Sorrow

"You can't use the word transgression on a date. You sound like Reinhold Niebuhr."







Shell Game with Organs

At seventeen I would have traded a lung for a blow job, but at forty-one a kidney for love seems like a risky venture.







it's another great collection from an author who is really making me crave short stories. how far i have come...

* my favorite, if you're asking

come to my blog!

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm beaming!!!!
EVERY story in this collection is amazing! - starting with lovable Ziggy in
the title story "Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets".
My heart melted for him. There are really two different story lines going on at the same time. It's possible to love one of them and struggle with the other.....( such as I did) ....but Ziggy & Love trumps all. I'm hoping Jacob writes more stories about Ziggy. I fell in love with him.

There's a story about how the past can haunt the present which was frickin excellent...
"Resurrection Bakeoff".

"Phone With The Impending Frost", - was about a scientist who sees his old high school crush ( who never paid him any attention to him in High School). Today she is married with a child. The story is priceless. The ice-melting and climate problems compared to the scientist real obsession for the married woman --(with child). All too funny!

Jacob doesn't write 'haha' hyped up -over done - slap-silly....short stories.
He makes us think....about a 'wide' range of topics - with fresh inventive prose and dialogue. He captures our thoughts and hearts. Abortion rights, love, loss, illness, death, etc. (hard to look at subjects)
.....Jacob takes risks in his writing. He's not afraid to take a stand on his personal beliefs. ( I've read enough of his work by now - that I'm beginning to see his views about the world we live in.
He's written about the open border immigration policy ( in favor of).
He's in favor of legalization of prostitution, and polygamy between consenting adults.
There's a dozen other issues Jacob examines. I like the challenges he presents for us to look at.

I'm starting to have a 'problem' though.....(haha)......a Jacob M. Appel addiction problem.
I have other books I need to be reading!

Jacob M. Appel is a Genius!!! He must be from another planet! More stories, please?

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can measure a man's sorrow, and the world's, in the number of stories that perish unheard.*

Rejoice, rejoice - Jacob Appel has unleashed another wonderful collection of short stories to be enjoyed by the tiny mortals of this secondary planet.

Here there are eight small slices of reality injected with a healthy dose of quirkiness. An immigrant trades cab rides for knowledge, an alien observing our planet disguises himself as a Latvian restaurateur and falls for an Pro-lifer, one woman takes an exhausting trip down her mother's unpleasant and sketchy Memory Lane and a man struggles to light a flame in a woman's heart amidst the new Ice Age.

The one I can't stop thinking about is The Resurrection Bakeoff. Will one man's past indiscretion come back to haunt him when the dearly departed start returning from the grave - not in an "We just wanna eat yer brains" way, but in a "Hey, we're back. We can take up right where we left off, even though you are now married and/or in love with someone else, and it's time for you to deal with all those feelings you thought you'd buried along with our bodies." And just which woman is he mourning at the end? I've been turning this one over in my mind for days now.

Appel is a physician, attorney, bioethicist AND teacher, writer of several novels and books of short stories. I honestly don't know how he does it all, unless . . . he is an alien casing the joint. In which case, PHONE HOME, JACOB.

Send more short stories!


*From Measures of Sorrow

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'We're sitting on one of the cast iron benches that line the footpath between Red Brick Cottage II and Red Brick Cottage III. Abbington Manor feels more like a university campus than a psychiatric facility: waves of jonquils rising through beds of red woodchips, a Gothic revival chapel where bells peal on the hour. Ten weeks have passed since my mother tried to drown herself - long enough for the ice sheath to melt off Long Island Sound. The firemen who rescued her are now battling brush fires along the interstate. Jay Bergman, the veterinary student responsible for my positive pregnancy test, is dating a city planner. My mother has already worked her way up to 'level three privileges', meaning she may explore the grounds without supervision. The tranquility is killing her slowly.' - taken from 'The Grand Concourse'.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: A visitor from a distant planet opens a Latvian restaurant next to an abortion clinic; a magician learns that true love will cost him a kidney; a blind barber cuts hair for tourists in a gentrifying Harlem.... Enter the mad, moving university of Jacob M. Appel's short fiction.

MY THOUGHTS: There was not one story in this collection that did not bring a smile to my face or a tear to my eye - often it was both!

Each story is a tragedy in it's own right, yet each one demonstrates the resilience, kindness and honour of mankind (and once - an alien!). But don't expect to be depressed by this collection - to the contrary - all are in some way uplifting. This collection has the common theme of relocation running through it.

This book is a keeper for me.....I know I am going to get just as much pleasure out of it in the future as I just did.

Jacob M Appel appears to be an extraordinary man.....he is a physician (which explains the medical aspect to many of these stories), attorney and bioethicist; he currently teaches at Gotham Writers Workshop and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine; he is also the author of over 200 published short stories and winner of many awards.

If you haven't yet sampled any of Jacob's work, I strongly urge you to do so. This is the second of his collections I have read and thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you Jacob for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you read a book by an author you've never heard of before, and you love it so much, but when you read another book by the same person you're disappointed? I was utterly captivated by Jacob Appel's quirky, moving story collection, Einstein's Beach House , but I wondered if Appel's charm would be apparent in his newest collection, Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets , or whether the quirkiness would become cloying.

I'm pleased to say that this new collection is equally as good, and that once again, I am so dazzled by Appel's talent. These stories are unlike many I've read, but they're not outlandish; each is full of so much heart and emotion and incredibly unforgettable characters. This is a brief but powerful collection that left me wanting more.

Some of my favorite stories in the collection include "Invasive Species," in which a woman struggles with the impending death of her young daughter, and tries to decide whether the romantic attention of her next-door neighbor is a good thing; "Phoebe with Impending Frost," which follows an expert in climate change as he tries to deal with the return of his high school crush amidst a true climate crisis; "The Resurrection Bakeoff," in which a man is worried that one of his darkest secrets will be revealed to his wife before she dies; and "Measures of Sorrow," about a graduate student who teaches a cab driver about everything he knows so he can woo a woman he's attracted to.

And then there's the amazing title story, in which an alien masquerading as a Latvian immigrant in Birmingham, Alabama, keeps the peace between pro-life and pro-choice advocates—and finds himself falling in love.

I don't know why Jacob Appel isn't a household name, because the way he writes, the way he weaves emotion and humor and heart and makes you think, deserves more recognition. These stories pack a punch, and will stick in your mind, and you'll want to tell everyone you know about them.

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of short stories I've read by Jacob M. Appel and it certainly won't be the last. I'm so glad he keeps writing them, as well as other novels. If you are looking for something different and a pretty quick read, I suggest getting a copy of this or Einstein's Beach House, the other collection of short stories of his that I have read. Appel actually gifted me a copy of this book, which I kindly thank him for. Check out his bio on his author page Jacob M. Appel if you are not familiar with him. What a background he has! He states he has copies of some of his books he can email you, which is how I got this copy. Go ahead and check him out!

As for the stories, they are simply wonderful. The first sentence of each one packs a punch and grabbed my attention immediately. "While her daughter practices for the afterlife-Celeste's tumorfrayed body waiting rigid inside the case of the grandfather clock- Meredith watches their new neighbor hacking at the undergrowth with a machete." from the story Invasive Species; or "Zigfr ids Imants Lenc did not have a name on his home planet, because names were superfluous, but in Lummings, Alabama, where he operated the Latvian restaurant opposite the abortion clinic, his regulars called him Red Ziggy." from the title story Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets. Come on, how could those sentences not intrigue you to keep reading? Appel is such a gifted writer and his stories are so interesting, unique, and heartfelt, it's hard not to really enjoy them. While I enjoyed all of the stories, the two I mentioned above were my absolute favorites of this bunch, especially little Celeste who practiced being dead before her cancer took her life. A very poignant read. Going to read Appel's Wedding Wipeout next which is a funny mystery. 5 stars.

[Sally Balboa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets in exchange for an honest review. From the beginning it's very clear that Jacob M. Appel is a very talented author. He writes clearly and gets to the point of his stories almost immediately. All of the stories have a bit of intrigue to them that make you want to finish them.

I felt that sometimes his stories were bigger than what he was telling us. A lot of them could have been novellas or even novels, just because of how big the background of the stories were. Including a slowly freezing planet, an alien sent here to assimilate, and the resurrection of the dead for a short while.

My favorite story in the book was Measures of Sorrow. It's about a man with the fear of crossing a park, and one day a fellow tenant comes to him with a proposal. In exchange for an education he'll drive him where he needs to go, so that he won't have to walk through the park anymore. This education is to impress the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. Along the way they become friends and teach each other more than they thought they would.

[Kate Vocke (bookapotamus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a big short story reader - I feel like it's never enough time to tell a story or connect with a character, let alone learn about their story, their history, and understand them. But these stories, although short - really resonated with me. I liked just about every single one!

Some of the heavy topics told in these stories range from abortion, to death, the afterlife and resurrection, organ transplants, climate change, mental illness... but they are told in a "not heavy" way... does that make sense? I loved the characters, especially a little girl named Celeste who is dying and "practicing" for the inevitable event as well as Red Ziggy... a visitor from another plant who runs a Latvian restaurant opposite an abortion clinic trying to learn about our planet.

The stories are fun and quirky, and a fast read that will leave you satisfied with their short length, but also wishing there was more.

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth short story collection I have read from this author and once again I loved it. Appel’s stories are always so unique and clever and have a lot of heart. Even if you don’t typically like short stories, I’m sure you will love his.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't read anything by Jacob M. Appel, you are missing out. This is the second collection of short stories I have read by Appel (Einstein's Beach House: Stories being the first) and his writing continues to blow me away.

In Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets the stories are unique, intelligent and can have an underlying melancholy or happiness depending on how you read them. They are left open ended, but with enough information to let you come up with an ending that you see fit. It's almost as if Appel leaves you with a "choose your own ending" for each story, which is brilliantly done.

The title of the book threw me, thinking I wouldn't like the stories because I don't particularly care for fantasy and like only limited sci-fi, but there is really nothing other worldly about the stories. There are some spiritual elements to them, but not in a religious way at all. So don't be dissuaded by the title. The stories are more an examination of interpersonal relationships in unique and sometimes weird settings.

Overall, if you enjoy character driven stories about relationships (not just romantic relationships, but relationship between everyday people, that may only meet fleeting) that are masterfully written, then you won't be disappointed.

I did receive a copy of the book for free directly from the author.

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author sent me this book to review since I had reviewed one of his other books.

I'm not a big fan of short stories. I always fell like I need more. But Jacob is different. Both books I have read so far by him have been short stories and he has not left me wondering where the rest of the story is at. This time around all the stories are a little dark and deal with death. They are all unique and very well written.

[Robert Blumenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A while ago, out of the blue, Jacob Appel sent me a copy of his novel,The Biology of Luck, asking me if I would please read it and review it online. I did so with some trepidation, for I did not wish to make him feel bad with a possibly unfavorable review. Happily, the novel was wonderful and was easy to give a high rating. This is the second collection of short stories that he has sent me, and it is excellent throughout. The stories are all highly original, very engaging, and emotionally very satisfying. Two in particular stood out for me: one where a climate scientist is pining for a former high school girl on whom he had a huge crush who is now married with kids, all against a background of an impending ice age; and the other where a mother is dealing with the impending death of her third grade daughter while being attracted to her older next door neighbor who is trying to help her deal with her tragedy. Some of these stories have elements of fantasy, others are deeply embedded in reality. All deal with human emotions and, usually, dealing with some form of sadness or melancholy. They are very readable and have satisfactory endings (a must for me in short stories). This is, in fact, IMHO one of the best collections of short stories that I have read. Take that Alice Munro and William Trevor.

[Laura Ruetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Jacob Appel astounds with his sophisticated writing style. I was a huge fan of the short story's in Einstein's Beach House and his book, The Biology of Luck. Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets is another collection of short fiction. The author is an amazing wordsmith, making his stories witty, engaging, wonderful and even poignant. He has always had a way with phrasing, which is why he can make a short story make such an impression. If there is a negative, it is that the book is too short, that when the last page is turned, I wished for more stories.

Some of the stories deal with hard topics, loss, death, illness and even abortion but the way that they are handled is so skillful and artfully written that they are both wonderful and thought provoking. The carefully chosen words are able to evoke images in the readers head that fills in the gaps - making these very effective short stories.

The title comes from the title of the first story, which is probably my favorite. Shell Game with organs is the most powerful of the bunch, evoking a strong emotional response. There are no bad stories in this book, and each story is vastly different from the rest, both in topic and tone. Jacob Appel is a versatile and talented writer and I look forward to his next book.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Benjamin Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won through a Goodreads Giveaway.

I enjoyed all the stories in this collection. Most of them include some sort of supernatural twist on reality as part of the hook for the story, but the last few stories are more about unique characters who could exist in this world with only a few eyebrow raises from those around them. I think "Pheobe with Impending Frost" and "The Resurrection Bakeoff" were the two I had the most fun while reading, but it was "Invasive Species" that stuck with me after I'd finished the book.

For anyone who enjoys short stories and isn't completely turned off by the possibility of sci-fi or supernatural elements, and good enough that even those people would find something to enjoy.

[Terry Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book on goodreads.com. Below is my honest review.

I have tried to win this book for a year and finally, through persistence, joy! Filled with just over a handful of short stories, they are highly smart, witty, entertaining, thought provoking and just over a day's read. You will relish in the delight of these stories.

As impressed as I was of his short stories, so am I of Jacob Appel himself. His intelligence and the "blow your mind" amount of degrees he holds for such a young man is overwhelming .

Certainly a book worth your time.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was reading this I was thinking it could be a lot of fun if Appel and Kelly Link collaborated on some stories. But I digress....

Appel's books are always a pleasure. He has such an original story-telling style. This is a great collection of love and loss, probably much more honest (in it's own way) than many other attempts out there.

This honest review is thanks to a free copy received from the author.

[Pj Gaumond · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in this book are thought provoking. They say a lot about humanity and thoughts on the human condition. I enjoyed the twists some of the stories had and look forward to reading more of Jacob Appel's writings. I won this book through Goodreads.

[Lisa Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, unexpectedly!

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Jacob M. Appel is a revelation. In a day and age in which bestowing the term "Renaissance man" on a living person would be met with almost certain incredulity and derision for employing blatant hyperbole, Appel is the rare modern polymath who genuinely deserves the title. With no fewer than seven master's degrees in such diverse areas of study as history, philosophy, public health, bioethics, and yes, creative writing, Appel has also also managed to squeeze in medical and law degrees, completing his residency and practicing psychiatry while maintaining his license to practice law in two states. Somewhere in between all of these multiple careers he's writing his thesis on the history of American medicine for his PhD from Columbia, and the man is only 43 years old. (As the kids today would say, #goals!)

Sometimes the creative output of such savants tends toward the dry – fiction that is technically well-polished with regard to form, plot structure, and descriptive accuracy, but that fails to connect and resonate emotionally with the reader. Rest assured, Dr. Appel is not the least bit trapped in his left brain, and while the technical polish is indeed present and sparkling, his writing organically evokes tenderness, sadness, hopefulness – the full range of the most subtle and ineffable human emotions – without ever being heavy-handed or moralistic. His stories are polite invitations; you enter into each bringing your own experiences and values, and what you leave them with will be tinged by the same.

Additionally, I've always argued that the short story is in fact a much more difficult form than the novel – while short stories are inherently excused for not having the scope and breadth of the lengthier novel, they are still expected to pack all the emotional punch. The short stories comprising Appel's 2015 collection, Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets, all average in at about twenty pages, yet still offer up true "stories" (as opposed to just slice-of-life snapshots), each with setups, characterizations, conflicts, and resolutions that manage to convey the impact of an entire novel. I cannot remember the last time (if ever) that I read a collection of short stories straight through (there are eight in Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets), and could still, weeks later, easily remember every plot – not to mention distinguish each one's unique tone, voice, and theme.

And this brings me to my last, and most surprising (at least to me!) point about the stories in Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets. You might surmise, either through the descriptive blurb or others' reviews, that these short stories are in fact genre pieces. They're not. This is straight-up literary fiction; that their settings include a benign zombie uprising or an impending frozen apocalypse do not detract in the least from the fact that each of these stories are, most importantly and most obviously, intimate studies of the human heart (even in the one case where the heart in question belongs to an extraterrestrial!). It is a testament to both Dr. Appel's skill and his imagination that he can take the most unlikely of external circumstances, and by suffusing them with the powerful, poignant, yet delicately-rendered universal themes of love, infatuation, loss, longing, death, memory, regret, and hope, make them feel as familiar to us as our own personal tales and memories.

I cannot imagine a type of reader that would be disappointed in Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets. Please, do take a chance on it!

I gratefully received a complimentary electronic edition of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Do you think it’s unethical to tell a lie for a good cause?’

Once reading one of the Appel novels/books an addiction occurs. That Jacob M Appel is such an extraordinarily fine writer, certainly among the top rung of serious authors in America at present, seems foremost in a resume of his achievements - this coming of course from an admitted devotee of his books such as THE BIOLOGY OF LUCK, SCOUTING FOR THE REAPER and PHONING HOME - until the extent of his life's work to date is surveyed. Thus the following from a previous review written in response to the mentioned novels:

Jacob M Appel is an American author, bioethicist (Bioethics, the study of typically controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine, is also moral discernment as it relates to medical policy, practice, and research. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy), physician, lawyer and social critic. He couples his fame for his short stories and his plays with his writing in the fields of reproductive ethics, organ donation, neuroethics and euthanasia. Appel is an advocate for the decriminalization of assisted suicide, raising the possibility that this might be made available to both the terminally ill and those with intractable, long-term mental illness. He has written in favor of abortion rights and fertility treatment for homosexuals, as well as against electronic medical records, which he sees as poorly secured against hacking. He has also argued in favor of the legalization of prostitution, polygamy and incest between consenting adults and bestiality when the animal is not forced or harmed. He has raised concerns regarding the possibility that employers will require their employees to use pharmaceuticals for cognitive enhancement and has urged that death row inmates be eligible to receive kidney transplants. He generated considerable controversy for endorsing the mandatory use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis as part of the in vitro fertilization process to prevent the implantation of embryos carrying severe genetic defects. Appel has also written in support of an "open border" immigration policy. Among the causes that Appel has embraced is opposition to the forcible feeding of hunger strikers, both in domestic prisons and at Guantanamo Bay. He has taught medical ethics at New York University, Columbia University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Brown University's Alpert Medical School.

Jacob Appel stuns. His writing is so informed and tightly sewn that each of the eight shortish stories in this collection gives the reader the sense of reaching blindly into a bowl of marbles and coming up with a special steely, aggie, tiger or any `keepsie' each time. A magician's parrot recommends against donating a kidney to his girlfriend. Inside an antique grandfather clock, a dying child explores Ancient Athens. Rural Virginia is swept by an epidemic of human resurrections. An alien disguised as a Latvian chef opens unwittingly his restaurant opposite an abortion clinic. Each tale takes us on an unexpected journey into a strange world - just like the ones we attempt to overlook around us. Appel not only does not overlook, he examines and molds them and places them before us as pure treasures. Another Bravo!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: this collection was a gift from the author, which in no way affects the review that follows.

Fans of short stories would really do well to read Jacob Appel and, if you haven't yet, you are missing out. This is the second collection of his stories I have read (Einstein's Beach House is also a fantastic collection) and his writing is amazing. His characters perceive the world in such appropriate ways for their individual characters -- for example, a climatologist (the protagonist of one of the stories) who can't help but notice the weather changes and describe them. Also, Jacob's background in medicine allows him to include accurate details in this collection, many of which have either underlying or surface medical themes woven into the plot line.

There are eight stories in this collection, with a variety of intriguing characters and diverse situations: an alien in Alabama posing as a Latvian restaurateur who falls for a pro-choice activist; the aforementioned climatologist pursuing his high school crush in a time of planetary cooling; a woman whose 8-year-old daughter is dying of cancer; a neurologist keeping a secret from his dying wife, set during a series of earthly resurrections; a woman and her 14-year-old son who relocate from NYC to CT to keep house and company with a fruit farmer and his 14-year-old granddaughter; a woman who takes her mother on a 12-hour pass from her inpatient psychiatric facility to visit the places in the Bronx where each of her mother's parents died; a graduate student who teaches and learns from a taxi driver; and a magician whose girlfriend needs a kidney transplant. What a diverse and wonderful collection, often very poignant, but consistently infectious -- and not just from that medical standpoint.

Another great read; thanks so much for the opportunity!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suberb! Mr. Appel seems to bring his writing to higher planes with every book, if that's possible. While not every reader may like every story, there's no denying the writing talent here. The author's usual ultra-keen observation of people shines. The wry wit is there as well. There are still sad bits to some of the stories, exquisitely painful bits, and even overboard optimism by at least one character. So much to take in. One thing I enjoy about Mr. Appel's writing is his deft knowledge of not overdoing, -- of sensing the exact amount of whatever is going on to make it believable, or hardly so, but not going too far either way. In all his writings, but particularly this one, the details are the same -- enough, well done, not overdone.

The only trouble I see is that Mr. Appel doesn't write best sellers. The writing is above that, far above. It's cerebral but easy to read and for readers who enjoy literary writing with highly personal themes, slices of life, satire sometimes, stories so different to a book that would be read by the masses. He should be required reading in all writing classes.

And what's the deal? This man is a physician, attorney, and bioethicist. How can someone that talented also be an astonishingly good writer? He has won a number of literary prizes, so this is an overachiever. I hope he's been memorable at his other professions, because it's clear he'll be remembered for his writing.

If you care for this sort of writing, just read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. (Also, I received it within three days of winning! That was fast!)

Jacob M. Appel is a master of the opening sentence. Here are a few examples from this collection:

"Word came of the third resurrection while Amber's mother was serving tea."

"Houdini urges me to disappear again."

"Zigfrids Imants Lenc did not have a name on his home planet, because names were superfluous, but in Lummings, Alabama, where he operated the Latvian restaurant opposite the abortion clinic, his regulars called him Red Ziggy."

The sentences contain the contradictions that drive the stories, and when applicable, hint that the story might contain elements that don't fit with reality as we know it. Appel extends the technique to an engaging opening paragraph, and the story goes from there.

In addition to being a skilled writer with a gift for economic language, Appel is imaginative. The stories often contain fantastic or science fiction elements, but the plots are driven by the humanity of the characters. Be aware, though, that this book confronts some very uncomfortable topics, from abortion to terminal illness of a child to mental degeneration. Fortunately, it never feels trite, as the fantastic elements allow him to look at other facets of these topics. This isn't a "fun" book, but it is thought-provoking.

[Jessyca Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish reading this book. Only because I misplaced it. I have read Jacob M. Appel's other book “Einstein's Beach House” and enjoyed it. I was delighted that Mr. Appel decided to gift me with a copy of "Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets" in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed Mr. Appel’s short stories. He has a gifted imagination. In "Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets" there are eight of his short stories. Each story is unique and keeps the reader guessing as to what is going to happen. Some stories I enjoyed more than others, but all of them are good. The story “Invasive Species” surprised me. I was not expecting the ending to happen the way it did. The story “The Resurrection Bakeoff” was my favorite in the book. It is a story that reminds you to live in the present and not in the past. The other story that I really liked was the story the book was named after, "Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets". This story reminded me a little of the movie “Men in Black. I imagined it as one of the alien’s personal story about trying to fit in and not to step on anyone's toes.

I really liked the book "Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets". Once again Mr. Appel has entertained me and stretched my imagination with his words. I look forward to reading more of his work soon.

[Chris Meads · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. And this is the second book I have from him.

Here are eight individual short stories that will make you laugh, cry, and think about things in your own life.

Example: in the story "Invasive Species", the story has two lines--a man who is cutting down all the invasive plants in his yard because it makes him feel better after losing his wife. The other line is the woman who's daughter has leukemia and is dying. The daughter is practicing how to be dead and wants to be put in the grandfather clock that is outside (leukemia is also an invasive cancer--see where the two stories intertwine?). It's what the mother of the daughter does that will make you think.

These are all quirky stories and ones that I couldn't put down until I read the ending of each. Jacob is masterful at telling a good tale with endings you didn't know that were coming. I can't wait to read more. I highly recommend this book to everyone who like to read this kind of story.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has eight amazing short stories. I loved each one. The characters were rich, quirky and interesting.

I loved the first story about an alien from a different planet that has settled in Alabama. He claims to be from Latvia and spouts made up Latvian proverbs. It is great.

One story concerns a mother that is being forced to face her young daughters impending death. It is not maudlin, it is sweet and endearing.

The man who runs into his high school crush struggles with how exactly to treat her. It is a good story. I really liked William.

There are other stories and each one touched me In a special way. Some serious subjects were covered in the stories but they were handled with humor and compassion.

I won this book and agreed to give an honest review. I can honestly say I loved it. Jacob M Appel reminds me of Jack Finney. That great ability to bring characters to life.
I plan on reading more of his work.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing a review for a book, be it excellent as this one or marginal as others, should be done immediately after the last page is read if only to save it from getting lost in the "Books Read" parade. It was not possible for me to do that when I finished this. But - I have also discovered the joy in re-reading some books, not after a long period, but shortly after the first reading. You find two books in one: the first - what happened; and the second - all the rest, including even different perspectives and reactions.

So why am I writing this in the review section? Because I'm going to reread this book now and write a review I hope it deserves and imprints the experience - for me. The short stories included are all consistently excellent and indelible. So until I do it justice, all I can say is -- READ IT. This is my third book by Jacob M. Appel. I have five more waiting. The joy of anticipation...
3-6-2016

[Lori Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having read "Einstein's Beach House" by Jacob M. Appel, I was delighted to receive a copy of "Miracles and Conundrums of the Secondary Planets". Appel is honing his craft as, overall, this most recent collection is even better than the first. The author is beginning to master his craft and does an extraordinary job of taking the possibilities during everyday life and spinning the what-ifs in what are sometimes what we would consider unthinkable ways - but he has thought of them. I recommend not racing through the stories but taking the time to savor each one. They can be read pretty quickly, but you'll really want a little time between each in order to fully process the depth and nuances before plunging into the next. This is terrific writing with sympathetic characters that will sometimes blow you away.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob Appel is definitely one author to keep an eye out for since he is original, has a deep understanding of human psychology and a reading voice that I haven't seen matched before. Basically once you read his work you will be able to pick it out from anyone else's reading without having to see his name. And he has taken over the world of short stories - reminding us you don't have to make a 200+ book to entertain people or have it stick with them.

Although I didn't like this book as much as "Einstein's Beach House" it was still a good read although some of the lessons if you are into them are a lot harder to pick through. If you are reading for entertainment than you will find a collection that is varied enough to whet your appetite but focused enough to share the same theme.

**Please note; I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Thanks to the author, Jacob M. Appel, for the copy of this book!

It is so difficult to review short stories, and I've already passed the book on to a friend, so I can't go back and jog my memory about the specific stories. However... the stories touched on several weighty themes like love, death, loss, the end of the world as we know it, etc.; but none of them ever felt TOO heavy. I don't think there was a single one that I didn't like, although there were some I liked better than others. It was a quick read, but also thought provoking. While I don't have a TON of experience with the writing of Neil Gaiman, a couple of these stories did seem a little Gaimanesque. I definitely recommend this one.