The Good Life: Charming Short Story Anthology of Hope, Disillusionment, and Optimism

by Erin McGraw

Erin McGraw's fiction has been hailed as "graceful . . . gratifyingly substantial" (New York Times Book Review) and "brilliant... [she's] a writer to watch" (Los Angeles Times). Wry but poignant, her new collection brims with priceless insights and fresh descriptions. The Good Life features characters battling daily demons of envy, fear, and disillusionment while somehow maintaining an abiding optimism. Here are characters trying to weather the confounding people of the world--the chronically successful, the lucky in love, the athletically gifted--characters clinging to their cynicism while admitting that real hope and passion demand a suspension of skepticism. Erin McGraw writes with charm and sweet irony, and her new collection is impossible to put down.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Gene Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book by accident and can't remember how it got onto my Amazon wish list. Then it found itself into a gift wrapped package for my birthday. I was even happier once I began reading.

Erin McGraw writes the kind of fiction I love. Before The Good Life, I had no clue who she was. The stories are well written, at times funny and sad, but always draw you into a literary realism that is both enjoyable and artful. You want to find out what happens to these characters, but you're in no real hurry because Erin McGraw has a gift for the craft of writing great fiction.

I don't want be too hasty to compare her writing to anyone else since I'm a new fan, but if you enjoy Richard Bausch and maybe some Tobias Wolff you'll enjoy this book. If there weren't so many other books I wanted to read (and write), I would probably jump back into several of the stories in this volume right away.

[Jim Skidmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varied stories

Each short story casts a different line of events regarding an individual life. Succinctly characterizing each individual in a manner typical of short story writing with endings that allow the reader to imagine the continuation. Enjoyable stories.

[Charles van Rooy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly Depressing stories

Did not find the stories funny or interesting. Lots of unhappy people struggling with relationships and life. If that’s what interest you, you may enjoy the book. Tried to finish it but just to depressing.

[Ann Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to track down a copy of this book through a used bookstore, but it was totally worth the effort. A really fun collection of short stories.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Erin McGraw's The Good Life toward the end of the summer(2011), because I wanted something I could put down after a chapter or two and because I was looking for material for our high school speech team, which I help to coach. Some stories are a two for me; some are a five. I considered giving the book three stars, but McGraw is so deft with the creation of character in elegantly economical "actions speak louder than words" style, as well as adept at springing the perfectly unpredictable yet perfect word or phrase on the reader, that I upped my rating in homage to her mastery of craft.

The Good Life is clearly an ironic title. None of the characters in any of these stories "have it made" or even have easy lives. They are, as others have said, struggling to make their peace with choices they have made or aspects of their situation which they cannot change. Every story is emotionally challenging, even disturbing, in some way, yet I repeatedly found myself admiring the determination of the main characters to grab dignity from the jaws of humiliation.

Truly, this is "a good read." :-)

[Superstition Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her ability to create realistic and relatable characters is McGraw’s genius with this collection of stories. The characters face many challenges and their continued optimism in the face of abject humiliation and failure is commendable. Each story is written with a sense of irony that touches on the improbability of living up to expectations. From the story of a woman taking in a ballet-dancer daughter who is better than she is or the Catholic priests who have a hard time living up to their vows, McGraw is able draw empathetic, round characters.

Review by Kate Cook

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this book, which I bought when she read at WVU. I like it for among other things all the priest stories. But I also like the intelligence that comes through in this book and the thorough building of characters.

[Ranae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought The Good Life hoping it would be as good or better than the seamstress of hollywood blvd. I read a few stories and it just did not hold my interest. I found the characters and the stories behind them to be very boring. I wanted to like it but didn't.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of stories reminds me of Flannery O'Conner in many ways, from the meaningful titles to the healing feel of the stories themselves. They are exceptionally well written and you can really relish McGraw's use of language.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dazzling dialogue, almost too good, sometimes. The religion stories are the best.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read half of the stories (the subjects of the others just didn't appeal to me) and thought they were insightful looks into seemingly ordinary people. They were an everyone's-got-a-story tales.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever so superb.

[Matt Braynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lively collection of stories about human relationships.

[Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting characters, not always sure how stories end.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this collection!