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Loose End
Ivan E. Coyote has developed a reputation as one of North America’s most disarming storytellers; her tales of life as an out dyke on the roads and trails of the North as well as rural America are rich in their plainspoken, honest truths. In Loose End, her third story collection, Ivan focuses her attention on the city: urban life, specifically in the East End of Vancouver, a diverse neighborhood of all types—old, young, gay, straight, white, black, Asian—communing at local coffee bars over hot rods, the art of skinny-dipping, and changes in the weather. Ivan presides over this circus of activities with her cool gaze, whether it’s trying to impress the woman with the hot tub next door, or showing her mother how to use a cordless drill.
Ivan’s world is the world of being out and open and unafraid; it’s also a world in which no ghettos—racial, cultural, or defined by sexuality or gender—exist. With the calm, observant eye of a master storyteller, Ivan E. Coyote shows us how to break free of the rigors of authority and be true to ourselves, warts and all.
Ivan’s world is the world of being out and open and unafraid; it’s also a world in which no ghettos—racial, cultural, or defined by sexuality or gender—exist. With the calm, observant eye of a master storyteller, Ivan E. Coyote shows us how to break free of the rigors of authority and be true to ourselves, warts and all.
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
9 people are currently reading
658 people want to read
About the author
Ivan E. Coyote
14 books720 followersIvan Coyote was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. An award-winning author of six collections of short stories, one novel, three CD’s, four short films and a renowned performer, Ivan’s first love is live storytelling, and over the last thirteen years they have become an audience favourite at music, poetry, spoken word and writer’s festivals from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
Ivan E. Coyote, die k.d. lang der kanadischen Literatur, stammt aus Whitehorse, Yukon, im äußersten Nordwesten Kanadas. Sie liebt Trucks, kleine Hunde, guten Kaffee, gescheite Frauen, Lederarbeiten, Tischlern, Geschichten erzählen, Angeln, Hockey, Knoten knüpfen, Kochen, auf Bäume klettern und ihren Mittagsschlaf. Heute lebt sie mit ihrer Partnerin in Vancouver. Ivan E. Coyote hat bereits fünf Erzählbände veröffentlicht und mit Als das Cello vom Himmel fiel ihren ersten Roman vorgelegt. Sie liebt es, Geschichten zu erzählen, und hat sich neben ihrem Schreiben auch als »Spoken Word«-Performerin einen Namen gemacht.
Ivan E. Coyote, die k.d. lang der kanadischen Literatur, stammt aus Whitehorse, Yukon, im äußersten Nordwesten Kanadas. Sie liebt Trucks, kleine Hunde, guten Kaffee, gescheite Frauen, Lederarbeiten, Tischlern, Geschichten erzählen, Angeln, Hockey, Knoten knüpfen, Kochen, auf Bäume klettern und ihren Mittagsschlaf. Heute lebt sie mit ihrer Partnerin in Vancouver. Ivan E. Coyote hat bereits fünf Erzählbände veröffentlicht und mit Als das Cello vom Himmel fiel ihren ersten Roman vorgelegt. Sie liebt es, Geschichten zu erzählen, und hat sich neben ihrem Schreiben auch als »Spoken Word«-Performerin einen Namen gemacht.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 30, 2014
A first toe-dip in the waters of contemporary LGBTQ lit? More like a headlong plunge, a cold bath, a surprise orgasm, refreshing and immediate.
The labelling of this genre has always perplexed me. What qualifies as LGBT literature, and how many letters should you tag on to the end of that amorphous acronym? Is the work of any gay, lesbian, queer, etc. author an automatic candidate, or does it need to deal specifically with content related to gender and sexuality? What about straight authors that write about gay relationships, have they sufficiently earned their stripes? Who decided that gender identity and sexual orientation should always be lumped together, anyway?
I am not going to answer these questions here, but instead, dismiss them. If there is a take-home message from this collection, it is that our compulsion to label everything and everyone is wildly unnecessary, and serves to artificially sequester our literature and our lives into discrete boxes. Yes, Ivan E. Coyote's gender identity does play a significant role in many of her short stories. Is that any different from, for example, the pervasive masculinity that seeps out of the pores of many lauded works of literature? She's just telling it like it is, and being queer is what she knows. If anything, her ambiguous gender status comes off as (gasp) utterly unexceptional.
Fucking personal pronouns. I haven't even started reviewing the book itself yet and I'm all tripped up. She? He? They? Convoluted sentences that avoid the question altogether? I should never have looked at the other reviews. Ivan, help me out here. I have immense respect for your "rich and multi-faceted gender identity" and I don't want to make a mistake this early on in our relationship. It's times like this that I wish I could speak Finnish or some other language that eschews the question entirely and doesn't require us to be so gender-aware at all times.
Loose End is a series of vignettes that lift a corner on the life of a writer and storyteller in East Vancouver. Far from being plot-driven, they are autobiographical snippets of life related with warmth and honesty. Ivan's world is inclusive, but the world we live in hasn't caught up yet, so bullying and ignorance do pierce the flow of her overarching narrative. Yet for all the times that people mistake her for a 16-year-old boy, Ivan seems comfortable with her gender ambiguity, more amused than upset. Another reviewer here referred to her tone as "defensively queerer-than-thou" and that's a ridiculous interpretation of these stories. Instead, her gender identity and sexuality come across as normal. If it jumps off the page at me, that's because social norms relating to sex and gender are so ingrained in our society that, like it or not, we are more likely to do a double-take if a girl turns to kiss another girl, or someone with a manly physique walks into the women's washroom. Unfortunately.
The writing itself is nothing special, but folds you into a casual conversation with Ivan. We are sharing a cup of coffee on Commercial Drive while she relates an anecdote that happened last week. Ivan is a storyteller at heart, so what we are reading is also the transcript of a performance. If you'd like a glimpse at her work, search her on youtube and sample her stories. The ones with the most hits are those closely concerned with the questions of gender identity and sexuality, which shows just how much her stories resonate with a particular audience. For a broader invitation into her day-to-day life, pick up Loose End and I dare you not to be touched by the very first story in the collection.
The labelling of this genre has always perplexed me. What qualifies as LGBT literature, and how many letters should you tag on to the end of that amorphous acronym? Is the work of any gay, lesbian, queer, etc. author an automatic candidate, or does it need to deal specifically with content related to gender and sexuality? What about straight authors that write about gay relationships, have they sufficiently earned their stripes? Who decided that gender identity and sexual orientation should always be lumped together, anyway?
I am not going to answer these questions here, but instead, dismiss them. If there is a take-home message from this collection, it is that our compulsion to label everything and everyone is wildly unnecessary, and serves to artificially sequester our literature and our lives into discrete boxes. Yes, Ivan E. Coyote's gender identity does play a significant role in many of her short stories. Is that any different from, for example, the pervasive masculinity that seeps out of the pores of many lauded works of literature? She's just telling it like it is, and being queer is what she knows. If anything, her ambiguous gender status comes off as (gasp) utterly unexceptional.
Fucking personal pronouns. I haven't even started reviewing the book itself yet and I'm all tripped up. She? He? They? Convoluted sentences that avoid the question altogether? I should never have looked at the other reviews. Ivan, help me out here. I have immense respect for your "rich and multi-faceted gender identity" and I don't want to make a mistake this early on in our relationship. It's times like this that I wish I could speak Finnish or some other language that eschews the question entirely and doesn't require us to be so gender-aware at all times.
Loose End is a series of vignettes that lift a corner on the life of a writer and storyteller in East Vancouver. Far from being plot-driven, they are autobiographical snippets of life related with warmth and honesty. Ivan's world is inclusive, but the world we live in hasn't caught up yet, so bullying and ignorance do pierce the flow of her overarching narrative. Yet for all the times that people mistake her for a 16-year-old boy, Ivan seems comfortable with her gender ambiguity, more amused than upset. Another reviewer here referred to her tone as "defensively queerer-than-thou" and that's a ridiculous interpretation of these stories. Instead, her gender identity and sexuality come across as normal. If it jumps off the page at me, that's because social norms relating to sex and gender are so ingrained in our society that, like it or not, we are more likely to do a double-take if a girl turns to kiss another girl, or someone with a manly physique walks into the women's washroom. Unfortunately.
The writing itself is nothing special, but folds you into a casual conversation with Ivan. We are sharing a cup of coffee on Commercial Drive while she relates an anecdote that happened last week. Ivan is a storyteller at heart, so what we are reading is also the transcript of a performance. If you'd like a glimpse at her work, search her on youtube and sample her stories. The ones with the most hits are those closely concerned with the questions of gender identity and sexuality, which shows just how much her stories resonate with a particular audience. For a broader invitation into her day-to-day life, pick up Loose End and I dare you not to be touched by the very first story in the collection.
June 23, 2019
Finally, I snuck in another Fallback. Loose End is a collection of short stories published in 2005. I’ve been wanting to read Ivan Coyote for quite some time and was not disappointed. Very sharp writing, potent bursts of real but messy life told from the perspective of a “gender expanding” individual.
I’m not one for short stories but these worked for me, quick word pictures of day to day moments, mostly in Vancouver, amongst the blue collar world and the artist doing her thing for the essence rather than a big dollar payoff. I loved the author’s smart, crisp voice. Loved her affectionate tone towards the frailty and flaws of imperfect family, friends, and even strangers. Also, appreciated the compassion felt towards the lgbtq kids just finding their way. If you like poignant vignettes of people in ordinary situations told with a skilled hand, this book’s for you. I do so I’m loading up on more of her stories.
I’m not one for short stories but these worked for me, quick word pictures of day to day moments, mostly in Vancouver, amongst the blue collar world and the artist doing her thing for the essence rather than a big dollar payoff. I loved the author’s smart, crisp voice. Loved her affectionate tone towards the frailty and flaws of imperfect family, friends, and even strangers. Also, appreciated the compassion felt towards the lgbtq kids just finding their way. If you like poignant vignettes of people in ordinary situations told with a skilled hand, this book’s for you. I do so I’m loading up on more of her stories.
November 16, 2012
I have a sort of love-hate relationship with short stories and often steer clear of them. I enjoy reading them but it's hard to get through a whole book because that thing that sucks me into a story so that I can't put it down lasts a few pages, then the story is over without nagging urge to read just one more chapter that sometimes causes me to stay up all night reading.
For that reason, I was kind of hesitent to read this book but someone recommended it and it seemed short enough to get through, even if I didn't get sucked in. I won't say that I got sucked in because each story was distinct, but the fact that there were some recurring characters and themes throughout the book did keep me coming back and kept me always wanting to just read one more story before I put it down.
I generally go into reading anything (particularly memoir) written by afab trans-ish people with such prejudgements that I skip the actual reading part and just judge it. I was actually surprised at how much I loved this and did not find the things I am annoyed by in other afab trans people's writing.
I think this was because I found Ivan to be really down to earth. While a lot of queer people writing about their experiences with rural/heterosexual folks might be written from the point of view of an outsider, Ivan really sees themself as part of the communities they inhabit, whether that be an urban queer community or a straight community in the Yukon. When Ivan writes about the weirdos they encounter along the way, they are not writing from the perspective of a wallflower sitting in the corner judging and feeling superior, they are as much one of the weirdos in the story as all the people they write about and that really shows through. They mention as an afterword to one of the stories that the owner of the diner written about in two of the stories clipped both stories from the paper and proudly displayed them on the wall for years. I don't think a lot of queer authors do this when they write about where they came from and the fact that anywhere Ivan goes, Ivan is seen as "one of our own" by their community and does such a great job of communicating that is what makes their writing special.
For that reason, I was kind of hesitent to read this book but someone recommended it and it seemed short enough to get through, even if I didn't get sucked in. I won't say that I got sucked in because each story was distinct, but the fact that there were some recurring characters and themes throughout the book did keep me coming back and kept me always wanting to just read one more story before I put it down.
I generally go into reading anything (particularly memoir) written by afab trans-ish people with such prejudgements that I skip the actual reading part and just judge it. I was actually surprised at how much I loved this and did not find the things I am annoyed by in other afab trans people's writing.
I think this was because I found Ivan to be really down to earth. While a lot of queer people writing about their experiences with rural/heterosexual folks might be written from the point of view of an outsider, Ivan really sees themself as part of the communities they inhabit, whether that be an urban queer community or a straight community in the Yukon. When Ivan writes about the weirdos they encounter along the way, they are not writing from the perspective of a wallflower sitting in the corner judging and feeling superior, they are as much one of the weirdos in the story as all the people they write about and that really shows through. They mention as an afterword to one of the stories that the owner of the diner written about in two of the stories clipped both stories from the paper and proudly displayed them on the wall for years. I don't think a lot of queer authors do this when they write about where they came from and the fact that anywhere Ivan goes, Ivan is seen as "one of our own" by their community and does such a great job of communicating that is what makes their writing special.
May 13, 2018
I REALLY liked this. There's something really... comforting, about reading about people who are a lot like you and got to grow up, and THEY'VE seen people a lot like them who also got to grow up, and maybe the lineage of queer people isn't totally fragmented.
April 11, 2018
As a Vancouverite, I’ve heard about British Columbian author Ivan Coyote for years, but until now I hadn’t read this author’s work. I’m really glad I did. The pieces are a compilation of newspaper articles about experiences and observations from a writer whose queer lifestyle was an eye-opener. Ivan writes about being beaten up and spat upon, but there are also references to good friends who’ve rallied around when needed. Some of the stories are shocking, such as the day his (unsure of correct pronoun—gender language is complex) apartment burned down, although the exact cause of the fire wasn’t clear. Some stories are funny, others poignant and a couple are heartbreaking. Others struck me as simple anecdotes. My favorite pieces are about his godson Francis.
While the stories are honestly told, I had the feeling that the author held back on the emotional toll that must have occurred after some of the traumatic events. Anger isn’t really discussed in any depth. In fact, negative feelings seem almost glossed over. Perhaps this was necessary for the newspaper columns, or maybe the time between the incidents and writing about them had dimmed the intensity. Emotion and analysis doesn’t drive this book, but then these are not essays.
The collection was published over a dozen years ago. Ivan’s published several more books and has built a solid reputation as a great storyteller and entertainer. The smooth, appealing, candid writing style in Loose End will show you why.
While the stories are honestly told, I had the feeling that the author held back on the emotional toll that must have occurred after some of the traumatic events. Anger isn’t really discussed in any depth. In fact, negative feelings seem almost glossed over. Perhaps this was necessary for the newspaper columns, or maybe the time between the incidents and writing about them had dimmed the intensity. Emotion and analysis doesn’t drive this book, but then these are not essays.
The collection was published over a dozen years ago. Ivan’s published several more books and has built a solid reputation as a great storyteller and entertainer. The smooth, appealing, candid writing style in Loose End will show you why.
July 31, 2017
I have had a really hard time crying lately and I cried three times while reading this collection of short stories. Ivan Coyote is now 100% my favourite storyteller.
October 25, 2012
I enjoyed these little vignettes. They aren't really short stories, despite the cover saying "stories by", which I find a bit misleading. They are really more short observations on life from the author about daily life in her neighborhood, her family, and her friends. They are often touching and quite humorous, and I enjoyed Coyote's perspective as a butch woman who is often "read" as a man in daily life.
November 4, 2016
Great writer
April 26, 2018
Ivan’s stories are a much-needed dose of truth in describing the normality of life’s everyday relatable moments. Thankfully, Ivan has several more books out there for continued comfort and truth. I wish I lived closer to Ivan so I could invite them and their dogs over for coffee and cake.
The group of words that affected me most from this book: “You’re right,” I said. “I am outdated. In fact, I’m a f*cking endangered species. A gentleman. Old school. Not male, but often read as one, making it all the more imperative that I come complete with decent manners. You may have read about my kind in your gay history class at university. I’m a butch, of the polite variety. Raised up by a family of kick-ass women, fine ladies every last one of them, who would have my hide if it were any other way. It is how it is done. I was also taught how to French braid long hair, and to carry a handkerchief at all times.”
The group of words that affected me most from this book: “You’re right,” I said. “I am outdated. In fact, I’m a f*cking endangered species. A gentleman. Old school. Not male, but often read as one, making it all the more imperative that I come complete with decent manners. You may have read about my kind in your gay history class at university. I’m a butch, of the polite variety. Raised up by a family of kick-ass women, fine ladies every last one of them, who would have my hide if it were any other way. It is how it is done. I was also taught how to French braid long hair, and to carry a handkerchief at all times.”
December 6, 2019
This one was a gradual build. I thought that I just liked it, and then I kept reading, and more layers were revealed. Told with humor, honesty, and a certain spareness, these essays challenged and delighted me in the best ways.
May 4, 2021
Itty bitty stories - maybe vignettes? - some very amazing, some meh. Enjoyable overall!
June 19, 2022
Really amazing collection of uber-short stories.
October 11, 2023
Ivan has such a way that I'm weeping while smiling while stricken with grief.
Every time I read something of theirs it's magical.
Every time I read something of theirs it's magical.
February 25, 2024
Love the format of the short stories. Humorous, real, honest, thought provoking.
Read
November 14, 2025reminds me of my brother <3
August 13, 2011
I loved this book, in particular the two stories about her mother and mother's day and her mother at Christmas were so real, so relatable, a relationship which is so often for each of us is fraught with emotion, misunderstandings no matter what our age.
The story about her father I had my husband read a paragraph, he then hung on to the book and read the chapter.
My life is so different than Ivan E. Coyote's, yet her soul and her stories are linked to mine and to everyone's. Her openness, is so vulnerable, sometimes gut wrenchingly so, and is touching and brought me to tears more than once, I also laughed aloud several times.
I whole heartedly recommend this book.
The story about her father I had my husband read a paragraph, he then hung on to the book and read the chapter.
My life is so different than Ivan E. Coyote's, yet her soul and her stories are linked to mine and to everyone's. Her openness, is so vulnerable, sometimes gut wrenchingly so, and is touching and brought me to tears more than once, I also laughed aloud several times.
I whole heartedly recommend this book.
January 9, 2017
Ivan E. Coyote holds up a magnifying glass to the little moments that make up every life, and shows us that the ordinary can be extraordinary. Their writing is funny, moving and thought-provoking in turns. Each story left me amazed by Coyote's powers of observation, attention to the smallest detail, and ability to show us how rich and complex seemingly simple interactions can be. The rest of us overhear conversations in cafes or lineups and roll our eyes, laugh to ourselves, sigh. Ivan Coyote writes tender, beautiful stories about those moments (and so many others) that teach us something about ourselves and each other, and that I could read again and again.
July 29, 2017
So I both started and finished this book this afternoon, so that should tell you just about everything. I downloaded it for free a couple of months ago after Alison Bechdel recommended it on her blog, and just got around to looking at it today. I couldn't put it down. The book is autobiographical (I think) short stories and columns, written in an incredibly engaging and enjoyable style, about life on the east end of Vancouver. I could see the characters and really began to be invested in them. A really, really enjoyable book. I highly recommend looking up Ivan Coyote.
April 13, 2010
Love Ivan's writing. Gentle reflections that leave you wanting to put the book down at the end of each and ponder a moment, even as the next one's luring you on with the promise of being as good as the one just read! I dragged this out over four days not because I didn't want to devour it all at once, but because I didn't want it to end too quickly. Worrying at the halfway point, I hopped online and ordered more. :) Phew!
February 20, 2015
A friend of mine gave me this book and told me that he had read it several times. I wondered why someone would read a book 'several times'..
Now that I have read it, I think I know. The stories are beautifully written, all of them. I don't particularly care for some of the stories, but others.. man, I don't want to forget them. But I know that I very probably will, that's just how life (or my brain) works.. So I will have to reread the stories at some point to rediscover their beauty.
Now that I have read it, I think I know. The stories are beautifully written, all of them. I don't particularly care for some of the stories, but others.. man, I don't want to forget them. But I know that I very probably will, that's just how life (or my brain) works.. So I will have to reread the stories at some point to rediscover their beauty.
July 8, 2008
This is my favourite of all his books. A couple of the stories are repeated (Fish Stories), but there are also many new sweet, touching, funny and slightly tragic stories: stories about dogs, Francis, tomboys, misunderstandings, Canadians... all the good things associated with Ivan. If you have the chance, listen to his stories told live.
July 10, 2020
Ivan Coyote is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I might not relate to everything and the language is either dated or must be a cultural thing and it doesn't always sit well with me, but I understand what the author is trying to say all the same. I am so grateful that these stories and these people exist.
December 30, 2007
These stories had me laughing out loud one minute and tear up the next. When I was reading the book I thought of all of these things to say about Ivan Coyote, but now that I'm done all I can think to say is read it.
February 21, 2008
I've been hearing Ivan tell stories whenever I get the chance for years now.
He's written a lot of great stuff-this book is my favorite to read on sunny Sundays by myself.
He's funny and eloquent and Canadian.
He's written a lot of great stuff-this book is my favorite to read on sunny Sundays by myself.
He's funny and eloquent and Canadian.
February 22, 2008
If only I could write as wonderfully as Ivan. I love his thoughtful reflections on people and places, and of course all the gay gay things! There were a few stories in here that made me want sit down and have a long chat with Ivan about gender and sex.
January 1, 2012
Such a marvelous storyteller!! I can hardly wait until the next time that Ivan Coyote is in Whitehorse. My daughters have told me that Ivan's shows are not to be missed..too bad that Whitehorse is over an hour away for me..won't miss the next show though!
October 18, 2012
As usual with Ivan Coyote, I really liked some of the stories and was pretty indifferent about the others. The real magic of Ivan's writing comes out in performances, though. Despite never having seen a live performance, I really like what I've seen on youtube!
November 23, 2012
Few pages, big stories... Coyote's stories about belonging and being other, in between, in her everyday life are inspiring, funny, touching. The words read themselves aloud in Coyote's voice. Storyteller, indeed!
August 21, 2014
Delightful stories of a place and its people. Easy to read, wonderful writing that outlines a bit of what queerness looks like in today's world. Elevating the mundane to be....still mundane, but things that we share.
December 15, 2016
Ivan Coyote's third book, Loose End was great. I loved so many of the stories and I'm happy to have read it. It blows me away all that they can accomplish in one slim volume like this one. What a national treasure, a modern classic, a Canadian icon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews