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The New Order
The National Book Award finalist for Refund returns with a new collection of stories that boldly examines the changes in American culture over the last two years through the increasing presence of violence, bigotry, sexual harassment, and the emotional costs of living under constant threat. In the title story, the competition between two middle school cellists is affected by a shooting at their school, and it is only years later that they realize how the intrusion of violence affected the course of their lives. In "This Is Who You Are," a young girl walks the line between Hebrew school and her regular school, realizing that both are filled with unexpected moments of insight and violence. In "Three Interviews," an aging reporter must contend with her dwindling sense of self and resources, beleaguered by unemployment, which sets her on a path to three increasingly unhinged job interviews. In "Mrs. America," a candidate for local office must confront a host of forces that threaten to undermine her campaign and expose her own role in the dissonance between what America is and what it should be. The New Order explores contemporary themes and ideas, shining a spotlight on the dark corners of our nature, our instincts, and our country.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published November 6, 2018
25 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
November 4, 2018
I’m really growing to love short stories!
The New Order is relevant and timely as it addresses topics in contemporary American culture. While Karen Bender confronts issues head-on, she has a way with words that is straightforward, but also calm and subtly engaging.
The New Order is an assessment of the fragile times in which we are living. The stories are powerful and unexpected, yet starkly simple. The everyday is addressed in a thought-provoking way making us question what truly matters? Also, how can we take action to fix all that’s going wrong?
Karen Bender has a voice, a strong one. Her writing is stunning, and the stories are brilliantly crafted as each slowly unfolds.
In short, if you are seeking quiet, well-written, powerful stories with an underlying expression of one take on the world and its problems today, read The New Order. The insight is indelible.
Thank you to Counterpoint Press for the complimentary book. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
The New Order is relevant and timely as it addresses topics in contemporary American culture. While Karen Bender confronts issues head-on, she has a way with words that is straightforward, but also calm and subtly engaging.
The New Order is an assessment of the fragile times in which we are living. The stories are powerful and unexpected, yet starkly simple. The everyday is addressed in a thought-provoking way making us question what truly matters? Also, how can we take action to fix all that’s going wrong?
Karen Bender has a voice, a strong one. Her writing is stunning, and the stories are brilliantly crafted as each slowly unfolds.
In short, if you are seeking quiet, well-written, powerful stories with an underlying expression of one take on the world and its problems today, read The New Order. The insight is indelible.
Thank you to Counterpoint Press for the complimentary book. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
August 23, 2019
"I wanted a nation in which our leaders never lied and were elected to office because of their love for and adherence to the truth. I wanted a nation where, if people got sick, they would be cared for, swiftly, tenderly, and the only concern would be that they would get well. I wanted a nation that did not conjure suspicion about entire groups of people...I wanted a nation where a person could go to school or shopping or wherever and never worry about whether it was smarter to dive under a chair or run"
“The world was still hot and despairing and full of pain, and I wasn’t a giant at all, but I wasn’t dust, either. I was trying to be a hopeful resident of the world. I stood with my fellow congregants in the room, feeling their presence beside me. We were all paying attention now, our minds unfastened. We looked to the new year...”
Wow, another great surprise. This story collection, from last year, eerily reflects our current state of affairs, taking hard looks at the senseless violence, relentless fear, bigotry and sexual harassment that have been choking our society, with a cold, unflagging fury. Many collections have hit or miss stories, I think this is what most readers expect and while every story here, may not hit for the fences, it is remarkably consistent. I also have to give a shout-out to “ The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement”, which just might be my favorite story that I have read this year. It blew me away.
“The world was still hot and despairing and full of pain, and I wasn’t a giant at all, but I wasn’t dust, either. I was trying to be a hopeful resident of the world. I stood with my fellow congregants in the room, feeling their presence beside me. We were all paying attention now, our minds unfastened. We looked to the new year...”
Wow, another great surprise. This story collection, from last year, eerily reflects our current state of affairs, taking hard looks at the senseless violence, relentless fear, bigotry and sexual harassment that have been choking our society, with a cold, unflagging fury. Many collections have hit or miss stories, I think this is what most readers expect and while every story here, may not hit for the fences, it is remarkably consistent. I also have to give a shout-out to “ The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement”, which just might be my favorite story that I have read this year. It blew me away.
August 24, 2018
This was my 100th book of 2018, and it couldn't have been a better choice. In fact, it might be my favorite book of 2018 so far.
Some books just really hit you in your heart.
This book, it was more like the heart, gut, throat, chest—a full body knockout.
Karen E. Bender’s stories in this new collection are something different, something necessary for our fragile, tumultuous social and political landscape. She begins in small moments in the lives of her characters and crafts emotional, compelling stories that draw you in, until finally you realize the whole story has been about something much larger the whole time.
A woman struggling to find her way and keep herself afloat goes on three interviews, but her interviewers are all stuck in their own loops of self-misery and can’t see beyond the haze of their own problems, however large or small, and it bleeds across the interviews in an unexpected way.
A girl stuck going to Hebrew school twice a week worries about divide between her Hebrew school self and who she is with her friends at her public school, while in the background, violent crimes are perpetrated against people of her faith in other countries.
In the one genre story set in a dystopian/futuristic landscape, a woman who is lucky to have a job in the diminishing market reads complaints from and awards monetary compensation to people who dislike their jobs but are unable to leave due to restrictions from the government. She is given a promotion, but the complaints take on a darker edge and she struggles to understand the reason behind it all.
Each story is startlingly simple, full of those everyday occurrences that make life both mundane and unique. From simple interactions between strangers in an elevator or on a plane, to the longer narratives, there is a simple clarity, a pure brilliance as Bender turns a light—fiercely—on what is really going on, what really matters.
More than just casting our reflection back at us, these stories dig to the center of socio-political issues in a way that is innately human. You can't help but to feel at the very minimum the unsettling, like walking on uneven ground in the dark, that the stories bring up in your gut. There is something wrong here, I kept thinking, but how can I fix it?
Yes—how do we fix it? Are we, as a country fixable? We are good at commenting on the problems that we see, but are we ready to dig to the root of the problem, to get in there and really clean up the mess we've created?
What will it take?
Reading books like this remind me why writing and reading is so important. Fiction has a voice, and it has something to say, something we should all be listening to.
Huge, expansive and never-ending thanks to Counterpoint Press for putting an ARC of this book in my hands to read and review. It is definitely one I will be recommending to everyone.
Some books just really hit you in your heart.
This book, it was more like the heart, gut, throat, chest—a full body knockout.
Karen E. Bender’s stories in this new collection are something different, something necessary for our fragile, tumultuous social and political landscape. She begins in small moments in the lives of her characters and crafts emotional, compelling stories that draw you in, until finally you realize the whole story has been about something much larger the whole time.
A woman struggling to find her way and keep herself afloat goes on three interviews, but her interviewers are all stuck in their own loops of self-misery and can’t see beyond the haze of their own problems, however large or small, and it bleeds across the interviews in an unexpected way.
A girl stuck going to Hebrew school twice a week worries about divide between her Hebrew school self and who she is with her friends at her public school, while in the background, violent crimes are perpetrated against people of her faith in other countries.
In the one genre story set in a dystopian/futuristic landscape, a woman who is lucky to have a job in the diminishing market reads complaints from and awards monetary compensation to people who dislike their jobs but are unable to leave due to restrictions from the government. She is given a promotion, but the complaints take on a darker edge and she struggles to understand the reason behind it all.
Each story is startlingly simple, full of those everyday occurrences that make life both mundane and unique. From simple interactions between strangers in an elevator or on a plane, to the longer narratives, there is a simple clarity, a pure brilliance as Bender turns a light—fiercely—on what is really going on, what really matters.
More than just casting our reflection back at us, these stories dig to the center of socio-political issues in a way that is innately human. You can't help but to feel at the very minimum the unsettling, like walking on uneven ground in the dark, that the stories bring up in your gut. There is something wrong here, I kept thinking, but how can I fix it?
Yes—how do we fix it? Are we, as a country fixable? We are good at commenting on the problems that we see, but are we ready to dig to the root of the problem, to get in there and really clean up the mess we've created?
What will it take?
Reading books like this remind me why writing and reading is so important. Fiction has a voice, and it has something to say, something we should all be listening to.
Huge, expansive and never-ending thanks to Counterpoint Press for putting an ARC of this book in my hands to read and review. It is definitely one I will be recommending to everyone.
January 29, 2019
A group of fictional stories which could be easily transported to the Twilight Zone. Very dystopian. Very pessimistic. Each searching for faith and hope. The endings are unique (avoiding spoiler alerts). The author was inventive and the stories held my interest, primarily from that. The last story was the best, only ten pages. The world can be cold and forbidding but I have picked another book with a sad, doomed sense. We all need more love, including authors!
August 26, 2019
The last story in this short story collection is on LeVar Burton Reads, and when I went to Goodreads to see what collection it belonged to, I decided to read the entire book as author Karen Bender's stories grabbed my attention with how she connects our changing 21st century with her precise character studies. A few of my favorites:
Three Interviews: A woman in her 40's is desperate for a job after being laid off, but her three interviews all on the same day go haywire, with each of the interviewers dealing with their own problems.
The Good Mothers in the Parking Lot: The shortest of the stories, yet the most powerful. Bender aptly describes her dismay and anger at other women who voted for Trump who then go on with their lives as if everything is alright.
Mrs. America: A woman somewhat styled on Sarah Palin is running for office and casually smears her opponent in a disgusting attempt to discredit him, although she knows she is twisting the facts, yet does it anyway. The comeuppance she receives at the end was a small solace.
The Cell Phones (found on LBR): A Jewish woman celebrating Rosh Hashanah at Synagogue ruminates on her life and her worries about the direction the nation is headed in. A bit of magical realism creeps into the story when her cell and everyone else's cells also go off during service and people's complaints fill the building for everyone to hear. Only when the calls are acknowledged and not hushed do the phones stop ringing. The parallel is clear- we need to recognize other people's worries and not blow them off, as everyone deserves to be heard.
I was impressed with this short story collection, as Bender offers insight into the cultural dissonance that many of us are feeling right now.
Three Interviews: A woman in her 40's is desperate for a job after being laid off, but her three interviews all on the same day go haywire, with each of the interviewers dealing with their own problems.
The Good Mothers in the Parking Lot: The shortest of the stories, yet the most powerful. Bender aptly describes her dismay and anger at other women who voted for Trump who then go on with their lives as if everything is alright.
Mrs. America: A woman somewhat styled on Sarah Palin is running for office and casually smears her opponent in a disgusting attempt to discredit him, although she knows she is twisting the facts, yet does it anyway. The comeuppance she receives at the end was a small solace.
The Cell Phones (found on LBR): A Jewish woman celebrating Rosh Hashanah at Synagogue ruminates on her life and her worries about the direction the nation is headed in. A bit of magical realism creeps into the story when her cell and everyone else's cells also go off during service and people's complaints fill the building for everyone to hear. Only when the calls are acknowledged and not hushed do the phones stop ringing. The parallel is clear- we need to recognize other people's worries and not blow them off, as everyone deserves to be heard.
I was impressed with this short story collection, as Bender offers insight into the cultural dissonance that many of us are feeling right now.
Read
January 2, 2020I'm a longtime fan of Karen E. Bender's short stories, and I'm annoyed with myself that it took me so long to read this collection (I've had a copy since publication in fall 2018; on the other hand, it may have been too overwhelming to read the opening story, "Where to Hide in a Synagogue," at that time, coincident with the Pittsburgh attack). Not all of the book's stories engage with explicitly Jewish concerns, but many do. I'm still thinking in particular of the story "This Is Who You Are," in which the real-life 1974 terrorist attack on the Ma'alot school in Israel has repercussions for a young middle-schooler in California. Other political and social themes are woven through this and other stories, too. "The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement," for example, is, among other things, a "Me Too" story. The book's closing story, "The Cell Phones," loops back with some nice nods to "Where to Hide in a Synagogue."
November 27, 2018
A collection of short stories can sometimes end up being more a gamble than anything else. Such is the case with this new volume - which, alas, in comparison with the author's previous (terrific) collection ('Refund') is largely a disappointment.
But the good news first: 4 of the 11 stories (stories 3-6) are good. Better than good, actually - they're remarkable. (If nothing else, be sure to read the title story; it's a stunning tale of the fate of a careless lie. As well - story #5: 'The Good Mothers in the Parking Lot' is particularly chilling for and sharp in its brevity.) ~which is what makes the rest of the stories a chore to get through. A certain laziness creeps into the bulk of what's left - and it's sad to witness.
The overall theme here is 'a world gone mad'. Indeed, some of the stories take on either a Kafka-esque or a Twilight Zone feel. Bender is clearly upset by the state of our nation today (as well she should be; all those with a conscience are) - and what is happening to way too many people. But the attendant confusion about that threatens to cramp her style.
Still, stories 3-6 are very much worth the time. They're about something - at times, about something very urgent. The others: though there's clearly evidence in them that the writer is in there somewhere, the artistry slips and the stories themselves seem less sure of (or more frantic about) what it is they're trying to say.
{I should give an honorable mention to story #9: 'The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement'. Though I ultimately found it more frustrating than satisfying, I did like its ambition - and it makes some strong points in its vision of a society gone bonkers.]
But the good news first: 4 of the 11 stories (stories 3-6) are good. Better than good, actually - they're remarkable. (If nothing else, be sure to read the title story; it's a stunning tale of the fate of a careless lie. As well - story #5: 'The Good Mothers in the Parking Lot' is particularly chilling for and sharp in its brevity.) ~which is what makes the rest of the stories a chore to get through. A certain laziness creeps into the bulk of what's left - and it's sad to witness.
The overall theme here is 'a world gone mad'. Indeed, some of the stories take on either a Kafka-esque or a Twilight Zone feel. Bender is clearly upset by the state of our nation today (as well she should be; all those with a conscience are) - and what is happening to way too many people. But the attendant confusion about that threatens to cramp her style.
Still, stories 3-6 are very much worth the time. They're about something - at times, about something very urgent. The others: though there's clearly evidence in them that the writer is in there somewhere, the artistry slips and the stories themselves seem less sure of (or more frantic about) what it is they're trying to say.
{I should give an honorable mention to story #9: 'The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement'. Though I ultimately found it more frustrating than satisfying, I did like its ambition - and it makes some strong points in its vision of a society gone bonkers.]
August 31, 2018
The New Order is a collection of stories about a variety of topics, from the way friendships change over time, to bombings and school shootings.
The stories are based on the contemporary American culture of today, especially the darker parts of it.
My favourite story was The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement, it was beautiful and chilling all at the same time.
I loved the author's way of writing, how even the gravest, scariest of things were portrayed in such a calm manner.
I'm not much of a short story reader, but I definitely enjoyed reading The New Order.
The stories are based on the contemporary American culture of today, especially the darker parts of it.
My favourite story was The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement, it was beautiful and chilling all at the same time.
I loved the author's way of writing, how even the gravest, scariest of things were portrayed in such a calm manner.
I'm not much of a short story reader, but I definitely enjoyed reading The New Order.
December 11, 2018
Fantastic. Just fantastic. Could not put this down. This is the most intriguing set of short stories I've ever read.
August 23, 2019
*3.5 stars.
*Many good stories here, though I felt "Mrs. America" weakened the collection. I also did not care for "This is Who You Are."
*Some favorite passages:
"The late afternoon glare reflected off the glass of the skyscrapers so they looked as if they were made of sun" (74).
"She had a deep tone that you could hear in your stomach when she played, that made the air feel like velvet" (78). *Describing a cellist.
"I could see her fourteen-year-old face housed in her middle-aged face, which was the gift that friends from your youth gave you--they could locate the particular beauty in you from decades before, and you could locate it in them" (93).
"...who had recently taken up the cause of makeup--mascara, foundation, eye shadow, lip gloss--as though a naked face were an argument she intended to win" (150).
"...laughter echoing, flowering through the hallways" (179).
"She was long and thin, a piece of stretched gum..." (182).
"How casual she was! As cheerful as carbonation, she trusted this plane, this world" (182).
*Okay, Karen--the first couple times, the word "lacy" was a welcome and unexpected adjective, but now is the time to move on. Lace becomes tatty with overuse.
"...didn't correct her, because I wanted her to invite me over to her swimming pool. What was the strategy to be asked to step into that shimmering blue water?" (187). *The machinations of the child's mind and garnering invitations. I remember.
"She regarded me with a long, gooey gaze of pity..." (197).
"Fear did not make one a more noble or understanding person" (246).
"It was another continent--another language, different behavior at stoplights" (248).
"We gripped the edges of the kitchen table as though it would tip and throw us overboard at any moment" (249).
"It was wonderful to be loved. Who could argue with that? Who wouldn't want a large hand to hold you when someone tried to run you over in the employee parking lot..." (254).
"But we walked back toward our bruised, strange world instead, the three of us, away from Jesus's desire to love us" (260).
"There was the time I yelled at those who had done nothing really and were just in the way of my anger, and there were the many times I woke up, read the newspaper, and felt like a pancake of defeat" (263).
"And I was not able to access this better self, no, for I was mired in my own personal grievances" (263).
"I wanted a nation in which our leaders never lied and were elected to office because of their love for and adherence to the truth. I wanted a nation where, if people got sick, they would be cared for, swiftly, tenderly, and the only concern would be that they would get well. I wanted a nation that did not conjure suspicion about entire groups of people...I wanted a nation where a person could go to school or shopping or wherever and never worry about whether it was smarter to dive under a chair or run" (264-265).
"I sort of wanted to repent but really I wanted others to repent. I wanted the whole damn world to repent, to stop behaving terribly, and just, for once, be good" (265).
*Many good stories here, though I felt "Mrs. America" weakened the collection. I also did not care for "This is Who You Are."
*Some favorite passages:
"The late afternoon glare reflected off the glass of the skyscrapers so they looked as if they were made of sun" (74).
"She had a deep tone that you could hear in your stomach when she played, that made the air feel like velvet" (78). *Describing a cellist.
"I could see her fourteen-year-old face housed in her middle-aged face, which was the gift that friends from your youth gave you--they could locate the particular beauty in you from decades before, and you could locate it in them" (93).
"...who had recently taken up the cause of makeup--mascara, foundation, eye shadow, lip gloss--as though a naked face were an argument she intended to win" (150).
"...laughter echoing, flowering through the hallways" (179).
"She was long and thin, a piece of stretched gum..." (182).
"How casual she was! As cheerful as carbonation, she trusted this plane, this world" (182).
*Okay, Karen--the first couple times, the word "lacy" was a welcome and unexpected adjective, but now is the time to move on. Lace becomes tatty with overuse.
"...didn't correct her, because I wanted her to invite me over to her swimming pool. What was the strategy to be asked to step into that shimmering blue water?" (187). *The machinations of the child's mind and garnering invitations. I remember.
"She regarded me with a long, gooey gaze of pity..." (197).
"Fear did not make one a more noble or understanding person" (246).
"It was another continent--another language, different behavior at stoplights" (248).
"We gripped the edges of the kitchen table as though it would tip and throw us overboard at any moment" (249).
"It was wonderful to be loved. Who could argue with that? Who wouldn't want a large hand to hold you when someone tried to run you over in the employee parking lot..." (254).
"But we walked back toward our bruised, strange world instead, the three of us, away from Jesus's desire to love us" (260).
"There was the time I yelled at those who had done nothing really and were just in the way of my anger, and there were the many times I woke up, read the newspaper, and felt like a pancake of defeat" (263).
"And I was not able to access this better self, no, for I was mired in my own personal grievances" (263).
"I wanted a nation in which our leaders never lied and were elected to office because of their love for and adherence to the truth. I wanted a nation where, if people got sick, they would be cared for, swiftly, tenderly, and the only concern would be that they would get well. I wanted a nation that did not conjure suspicion about entire groups of people...I wanted a nation where a person could go to school or shopping or wherever and never worry about whether it was smarter to dive under a chair or run" (264-265).
"I sort of wanted to repent but really I wanted others to repent. I wanted the whole damn world to repent, to stop behaving terribly, and just, for once, be good" (265).
Read
December 1, 2019Review of 'The Cellphones' by Karen E. Bender only - 4 stars
A great little short story about wanting to better yourself, and to have everyone around you, around the world better.
A great little short story about wanting to better yourself, and to have everyone around you, around the world better.
February 21, 2019
The stories in this collection begin where Refund, Bender's previous collection, ended. Two women are developing a plan of how to secure their synagogue against a violent intrusion and argue over whether or not it's appropriate to give instruction to dislodge Torah scrolls from their ark, and what's more important, to ascribe value to the individual safety or to group identity. The anxieties about gun and sexual violence, about the state of democracy and elections, about Trump as president, volley and collide with each other in this collection, and yet the reading experience is a refreshing one, the effect similar to therapy: it helps to hear my anxieties named so precisely and talked about with such clarity of thought and values. The book left me with the sensation of entering into a dialogue with these characters, and though I did not always agree with them, I had a sense of being heard and understood, somehow, and of being not quite so alone in this world.
December 4, 2018
"I understood that the whole world was, in fact, an invisible cage that I could not see; I had not been aware of this cage before, but now I knew that it held me, that it held all of us, and that there was no way to get out."
“The world was still hot and despairing and full of pain, and I wasn’t a giant at all, but I wasn’t dust either.”
This collection sits with pain; releasing what we hold inside by acknowledging it. While it is definitely a white, female, progressive perspective, each story felt like a meditation on the underlying anxiety of 2018, and yet it ended with a sense of hope.
“The world was still hot and despairing and full of pain, and I wasn’t a giant at all, but I wasn’t dust either.”
This collection sits with pain; releasing what we hold inside by acknowledging it. While it is definitely a white, female, progressive perspective, each story felt like a meditation on the underlying anxiety of 2018, and yet it ended with a sense of hope.
December 18, 2023
We love Karen !
August 23, 2018
I have found a new favorite writer and am a bit embarrassed I didn't know who Karen E. Bender was before this ARC fell into my lap. Elegant writing and powerfully packed stories with relevant topics, relatable inner dialogue, and powerful (sometimes funny) twists. Loved it!
September 23, 2018
5.0⭐ “I was mired in my own personal grievances. I wanted.”
**spoilers**
If you’re here, and you’re following my reviews, thank you for rolling with me. We’re on episode 33 of Stitcher’s LeVar Burton Reads, and we’re gifted with “The Cell Phones” by Karen E. Bender.
I loved this. The religious stories on this cast are always great, and they speak to me because I grew up in a deeply religious environment. There may be a universality to ritual, prayer, service, renewal, and meekness that might transcend whatever divinity we choose to serve.
This story was absolutely perfect for LBR. The sound effects and musical choices were so felicitous, I can’t imagine hearing the story without them. I listened twice.
One of my favorite scenes was the protag’s internal, frustrated rant. I love the imagery of wrestling with what disgusted her. Phrases like, “I wanted a nation that did not just roll around, naked and panting in piles of money,” turned in a fast pace, nauseating, desperate blur, and I remember having prayers like that myself. I remember coming to a place in my mind where I opened myself up and dumped the entire shit of the world out in a stream of exhausted, angry thought.
Sometimes believing in God makes a person feel responsible for showing him the world through their eyes. Your prayers become a testimony. See, God? See what we have to navigate around every day? See what we’re up against? Can we get a little back up?
If you’ve ever followed my reviews, you know I’m obsessed with surrealism, and of course this tale fit my reader-writer modus operandi perfectly.
(Funfact, I had no idea the word ‘MO’ was an acronym for ‘modus operandi’, I thought it was maybe like an acronym for ‘motivational operations’ or something. We out here learnin’.)
When the phones went up in tandem, and the parishioners started to relate to the callers, I felt that. I think sometimes, when we’re wrestling with the shit of the world, we have to calm down. We have to see things in a smaller, more itemized way. Vague internal wrestling doesn’t really move. Speaking to others, relating to others, that’s impacting. It’s the difference between complaining and correcting.
I also love that the callers were not praying per se, they were just in need.
“Marry me!”
“I’m calling about the job.”
“I got a bad diagnosis.”
All outcries of what was on their hearts. Not the sort of things you shout at God, these were not misdirected calls to God, rerouted. They were looking for other people. They found them, too.
Finally, I love that the rabbi just rolled with it. He was just like, #welp, I guess that was a miracle that happened, #it’s still Rosh Hashanah, on with the sermon.
(In looking up how to spell Rosh Hashanah, I learned that it just happened, 9-9—9-11, so a belated happy new year to those of you celebrating)
If you guys can let me be weird for a minute, this story reminded me of a popular phrase that came from the play No Exit, you may have heard it, the phrase is “Hell Is Other People.” I dug around to kind of get to the root of that philosophy and the internet did not disappoint.
The phrase 'Hell Is Other People' illustrates the difficult coexistence of people: the fact that others – and their gaze – is what alienates and locks us in a particular kind of being, which in turn deprives us of our freedom.
I thought of that, because for the protag, hell is other people, at first. She and her peers redirect that narrative though.
In Bender’s story, answered prayers is other people. God is other people.
Thanks for reading, and If you wanna chat about the latest LBR episodes, hit me up in the comments and come meet up with us at LeVar Burton Reads: The Community on Facebook.
- 📚☕♥
**spoilers**
If you’re here, and you’re following my reviews, thank you for rolling with me. We’re on episode 33 of Stitcher’s LeVar Burton Reads, and we’re gifted with “The Cell Phones” by Karen E. Bender.
I loved this. The religious stories on this cast are always great, and they speak to me because I grew up in a deeply religious environment. There may be a universality to ritual, prayer, service, renewal, and meekness that might transcend whatever divinity we choose to serve.
This story was absolutely perfect for LBR. The sound effects and musical choices were so felicitous, I can’t imagine hearing the story without them. I listened twice.
One of my favorite scenes was the protag’s internal, frustrated rant. I love the imagery of wrestling with what disgusted her. Phrases like, “I wanted a nation that did not just roll around, naked and panting in piles of money,” turned in a fast pace, nauseating, desperate blur, and I remember having prayers like that myself. I remember coming to a place in my mind where I opened myself up and dumped the entire shit of the world out in a stream of exhausted, angry thought.
Sometimes believing in God makes a person feel responsible for showing him the world through their eyes. Your prayers become a testimony. See, God? See what we have to navigate around every day? See what we’re up against? Can we get a little back up?
If you’ve ever followed my reviews, you know I’m obsessed with surrealism, and of course this tale fit my reader-writer modus operandi perfectly.
(Funfact, I had no idea the word ‘MO’ was an acronym for ‘modus operandi’, I thought it was maybe like an acronym for ‘motivational operations’ or something. We out here learnin’.)
When the phones went up in tandem, and the parishioners started to relate to the callers, I felt that. I think sometimes, when we’re wrestling with the shit of the world, we have to calm down. We have to see things in a smaller, more itemized way. Vague internal wrestling doesn’t really move. Speaking to others, relating to others, that’s impacting. It’s the difference between complaining and correcting.
I also love that the callers were not praying per se, they were just in need.
“Marry me!”
“I’m calling about the job.”
“I got a bad diagnosis.”
All outcries of what was on their hearts. Not the sort of things you shout at God, these were not misdirected calls to God, rerouted. They were looking for other people. They found them, too.
Finally, I love that the rabbi just rolled with it. He was just like, #welp, I guess that was a miracle that happened, #it’s still Rosh Hashanah, on with the sermon.
(In looking up how to spell Rosh Hashanah, I learned that it just happened, 9-9—9-11, so a belated happy new year to those of you celebrating)
If you guys can let me be weird for a minute, this story reminded me of a popular phrase that came from the play No Exit, you may have heard it, the phrase is “Hell Is Other People.” I dug around to kind of get to the root of that philosophy and the internet did not disappoint.
The phrase 'Hell Is Other People' illustrates the difficult coexistence of people: the fact that others – and their gaze – is what alienates and locks us in a particular kind of being, which in turn deprives us of our freedom.
I thought of that, because for the protag, hell is other people, at first. She and her peers redirect that narrative though.
In Bender’s story, answered prayers is other people. God is other people.
Thanks for reading, and If you wanna chat about the latest LBR episodes, hit me up in the comments and come meet up with us at LeVar Burton Reads: The Community on Facebook.
- 📚☕♥
December 4, 2018
The New Order
Refund
Karen Bender
I love short stories – variety, experiments, fast reads, ideas that are worth exploring but not worth a novel. I hate short stories – frustration of incomplete stories, untraditional story arcs, wacky self-indulgence, the same-ness of a particular author’s style over and over. But mostly, I love short stories, particularly ones that are linked thematically. I read both these volumes at the same time, jumping back and forth between them. Refund is centered around money, The New Order (the newer, non National Book Award nominee) explores topics that have arisen post-Trump. The best ones are unified across both themes by their desire dig inside the disappointments and inner insecurities of mostly ordinary people. The experiments are few – one features a talking cat, another a dystopian future in which all work is controlled by the state (that one, The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement, combines Bender’s psychological insights seamlessly with a scary vision of the future and is one of the strongest in both collections) – the core of Bender’s stories is the emptiness and emotional disappointment that comes from both money and modern life (the Loan Officer’s Visit, The Sea Turtle Hospital), with moments of terror when raw emotion must be confronted (Anything for Money, about a TV producer of a humiliation reality show and a long-lost granddaughter, maybe the best story of all). It’s a strong collection – Refund is maybe slightly better but I thought they were both excellent. Quibbles: Bender has a certain obliqueness to her writing; one tic is the misdirection of language – which I assume is designed to keep the reader off-kilter emotionally – which can get annoying over 500 consecutive pages and 30 or so stories. But that wouldn’t have been a problem if I’d read them as written – one at a time, with a break between. I was impressed – entertaining and thoughtful.
Grade (Refund): A
Grade (The New Order): A-
Refund
Karen Bender
I love short stories – variety, experiments, fast reads, ideas that are worth exploring but not worth a novel. I hate short stories – frustration of incomplete stories, untraditional story arcs, wacky self-indulgence, the same-ness of a particular author’s style over and over. But mostly, I love short stories, particularly ones that are linked thematically. I read both these volumes at the same time, jumping back and forth between them. Refund is centered around money, The New Order (the newer, non National Book Award nominee) explores topics that have arisen post-Trump. The best ones are unified across both themes by their desire dig inside the disappointments and inner insecurities of mostly ordinary people. The experiments are few – one features a talking cat, another a dystopian future in which all work is controlled by the state (that one, The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement, combines Bender’s psychological insights seamlessly with a scary vision of the future and is one of the strongest in both collections) – the core of Bender’s stories is the emptiness and emotional disappointment that comes from both money and modern life (the Loan Officer’s Visit, The Sea Turtle Hospital), with moments of terror when raw emotion must be confronted (Anything for Money, about a TV producer of a humiliation reality show and a long-lost granddaughter, maybe the best story of all). It’s a strong collection – Refund is maybe slightly better but I thought they were both excellent. Quibbles: Bender has a certain obliqueness to her writing; one tic is the misdirection of language – which I assume is designed to keep the reader off-kilter emotionally – which can get annoying over 500 consecutive pages and 30 or so stories. But that wouldn’t have been a problem if I’d read them as written – one at a time, with a break between. I was impressed – entertaining and thoughtful.
Grade (Refund): A
Grade (The New Order): A-
September 11, 2019
Ms. Bender's prose immediately pulled me in. Her words are as comfortable as a soft, cozy sweater but it is a false sense of security for what is to be revealed about human nature in her short story collection.
The stories take place as far back as the 1970's and one even implies it takes place in the not too distant future. It seems what was, is and always will be.
Read this book and contemplate just what humans have done to each other over the past 50 years. It's thoroughly depressing. Each story implies characteristics which are uncomfortable to discuss. For instance, is it truly possible some humans exhibit pent up - senseless anger? Could it be Bender is saying we thrive when we hurt each other? Do we flaunt our righteousness only to be hypocrites at heart? Do we lack empathy?
It seems in the past half century, Bender is considering the world in which we live as one of distrust and fear of our species. We are lonely, we are struggling, we suffer from inner turmoil both imagined and real. We suffer loss, we lack empathy, good grief we are a mess!
The final story in this collection, "The Cell Phones", offers a bit of enlightenment and hope. It may all begin by just listening to the distress felt by our fellow humans.
An awesome collection of stories. Highly recommend!
The stories take place as far back as the 1970's and one even implies it takes place in the not too distant future. It seems what was, is and always will be.
Read this book and contemplate just what humans have done to each other over the past 50 years. It's thoroughly depressing. Each story implies characteristics which are uncomfortable to discuss. For instance, is it truly possible some humans exhibit pent up - senseless anger? Could it be Bender is saying we thrive when we hurt each other? Do we flaunt our righteousness only to be hypocrites at heart? Do we lack empathy?
It seems in the past half century, Bender is considering the world in which we live as one of distrust and fear of our species. We are lonely, we are struggling, we suffer from inner turmoil both imagined and real. We suffer loss, we lack empathy, good grief we are a mess!
The final story in this collection, "The Cell Phones", offers a bit of enlightenment and hope. It may all begin by just listening to the distress felt by our fellow humans.
An awesome collection of stories. Highly recommend!
January 24, 2019
I loved this short story collection. Each story was deep, fully realized and well-written. Bender tackles some heavy (and timely) subject matter: school shootings, society's treatment of women, what it's like to live in the frightening world of Trump's America. A lesser writer may have resorted to heavy-handed writing or rabble-rousing to get his or her point across. Not Bender! Instead, each story is written with elegance and honesty that keeps the book engaging and thought-provoking throughout. The strength of each story is earned through it's layered characters, well-paced structure and Bender's strong voice.
The collection remains strong from story to story throughout. Some stories I loved in particular were:
- Three Interviews
- The New Order
- This Is Who You Are
- The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories and literary fiction. Fans of Bender's previous short story collection, Refund, will not be disappointed.
The collection remains strong from story to story throughout. Some stories I loved in particular were:
- Three Interviews
- The New Order
- This Is Who You Are
- The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories and literary fiction. Fans of Bender's previous short story collection, Refund, will not be disappointed.
May 11, 2021
A beautiful, political collection of short stories. In one of them, two old friends walk through their synagogue, trying to determine how to make people safe if a shooter enters. Should everyone be required to wear sneakers, so they can run if necessary? Should the oldest people--or the youngest--sit in the pew that is closest to the door? What happens if the stained glass window is shot and glass falls on congregants heads? This story is the best of the bunch, in my opinion--so sad, but also funny--but all of these stories are great, and in some way political-- two high school friends who experience a school shooting; a junior high girl dealing both with a predatory gym teacher and the knowledge that children are being killed in Israel. I may have made them sound grim, here: they are certainly not. And the writing is gorgeous--for example, "the dress fell around her like sheets of light."
June 30, 2025
#readingchallenge2025 (my book with a direction in the title)
Quietly powerful and thoughtfully written.
Karen Bender doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, she approaches them with a clarity and steadiness that’s both direct and quietly compelling. The New Order is a sharp, thoughtful reflection on the uncertainty and tensions of modern life, delivered through a series of stories that feel deceptively simple on the surface.
I never quite knew where each story was headed, but when a theme or message landed, it landed hard. There’s a subtle depth to Bender’s storytelling that’s easy to underestimate, and I appreciated how the collection gradually built a cohesive emotional and social commentary without being heavy-handed.
It’s hard to say more without revealing the impact of the stories themselves, but overall, the collection blends together in a way that feels deliberate and resonant. Not every story hit equally for me, but the ones that did left a lasting impression.
Quietly powerful and thoughtfully written.
Karen Bender doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, she approaches them with a clarity and steadiness that’s both direct and quietly compelling. The New Order is a sharp, thoughtful reflection on the uncertainty and tensions of modern life, delivered through a series of stories that feel deceptively simple on the surface.
I never quite knew where each story was headed, but when a theme or message landed, it landed hard. There’s a subtle depth to Bender’s storytelling that’s easy to underestimate, and I appreciated how the collection gradually built a cohesive emotional and social commentary without being heavy-handed.
It’s hard to say more without revealing the impact of the stories themselves, but overall, the collection blends together in a way that feels deliberate and resonant. Not every story hit equally for me, but the ones that did left a lasting impression.
January 3, 2019
The New Order is a brilliant story collection. It is absolutely current, a mosaic of today and the yesterdays that brought us here. It is beautifully, simply crafted, never overwritten. It is intimate, telling us the shameful and beautiful things people feel. But it also reveals a moral hopefulness that had me crying on the first day of this year as I finished the book’s last lines: “The world was still hot and despairing and full of pain, and I wasn’t a giant at all, but I wasn’t dust, either. I was trying to be a hopeful resident of the world. I stood with my fellow congregants in the room, feeling their presence beside me. We were all paying attention now, our minds unfastened. We looked to the new year. Here it was. “All right then,” the rabbi said. “Let’s begin.”
July 12, 2021
Bender likes to use humor, leaning into absurdity, to underline the serious points she wants to make in this collection that "examines the sense of instability" she sees in recent American life, an instability that has only become more pronounced since its publication in 2018. Several of the stories concern characters adjacent to violence; they aren't victims, but are affected anyway. Others are overtly political. The final story ends on a note of hope, and offers a way of ameliorating the "the emotional costs of living under constant threat."
FMI see my blog post at A Just Recompense.
FMI see my blog post at A Just Recompense.
December 25, 2018
THE NEW ORDER is one of the best short story collections I've read in years. Karen Bender responds to the turmoil that is today's America with wisdom, wit, humanity, irony, and enormous heart. Never preachy or sanctimonious, her stories provide a profound lens into the havoc our "new order" wreaks on our souls, as individuals and as a country. With her elegant prose, she effortlessly braids the personal and the political in a way that forces the reader to ponder how we are/will metabolize this period of history. This collection, the antidote to the shouting and counter-shouting so impossible to mute. would make an EXCELLENT book club pick.
February 19, 2019
I lovehate short story collections, because once you really get invested in one, it comes to a close quicker than you would like. A really good short story collection for me has to have stories that leave you wanting more yet also leave you a little sad after the final sentence.
The stories in this collection were a mix of bittersweet nostalgia, ruminations on one’s faith and daily life, and a dystopian arc that I’m still not fully over and wish would become a novel, because I crave more of the story and characters.
Each story had a unique ending, and you could tell that the author took time with her characters and cared about each one
I lovehate short story collections, because once you really get invested in one, it comes to a close quicker than you would like. A really good short story collection for me has to have stories that leave you wanting more yet also leave you a little sad after the final sentence.
The stories in this collection were a mix of bittersweet nostalgia, ruminations on one’s faith and daily life, and a dystopian arc that I’m still not fully over and wish would become a novel, because I crave more of the story and characters.
Each story had a unique ending, and you could tell that the author took time with her characters and cared about each one
March 23, 2019
I have to say I was kind of annoyed by the first two stories in this book — the premise of the first and the main character of the second just grated on me. But I am so glad I stuck it out and finished reading it because I thought the collection as s whole was very well done and there were several outstanding stories. Loved The Cell Phones, On a Scale of One to Ten, Mrs America and The Good Mothers in the Parking Lot in particular. Several of the stories have themes of religion or religiosity in America running through them — four particularly addressing Judaism. Several present ethical quandaries. On the whole, a provocative read with some lovely writing.
May 24, 2019
Okay, to be honest, I didn't read the entire book - I am a children's librarian, and I need to read more children's books. When I pick up adult fiction, I want it to be ridiculously lightweight - not well-written, thought-provoking, slice-of-life-realism, and too closely resembling uncomfortable moments in my own life.
Bender's descriptions are helplessly accurate in depicting my own life & thought process. I think the main divergence between what she describes and how my actual life has unfolded is that I spent/spend a lot more time either imagining fantasies or creating project ideas - and thereby forgetting or failing to closely observe the reality in front of me.
Bender's descriptions are helplessly accurate in depicting my own life & thought process. I think the main divergence between what she describes and how my actual life has unfolded is that I spent/spend a lot more time either imagining fantasies or creating project ideas - and thereby forgetting or failing to closely observe the reality in front of me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2019
Last week's library checkouts were this book and a new novel by Very Famous Male Author, and while I found I couldn't get past chapter one of VFMA's cringe-inducing attempt to write a female narrator, I was completely enraptured by Bender's profound, precise and economical exploration of class, age, childhood, female friendships, and American culture (among other topics).
Can't help but notice that this prodigiously talented writer writing at the top of her craft game has been short-listed for a bunch of prizes that Very Famous Male Authors seem to win for simply existing....but I digress.
Can't help but notice that this prodigiously talented writer writing at the top of her craft game has been short-listed for a bunch of prizes that Very Famous Male Authors seem to win for simply existing....but I digress.
February 26, 2020
This collection left me so anxious, the stories lingering on in the mind, about the state of the world, our world, tinged at times with a well-done dystopian flavor. A deep dive into our fears, about terrorism, gunmen, the loss of jobs, the inability to find a place, the ability to be misused, about men taking advantage, among so many other things. Each story is distilled and intimate. A very current series of stories, about what is happening right now. I loved her collection, Refund, as well as her novels, and all of these stories will stay in my mind - which does not happen all that often.
March 24, 2019
This collection of short stories contemplates life from different perspectives. One story, “The Department of Happiness and Reimbursement,” deserves an indie film treatment. Truly. Heartily agree with the LA Times reviewer who noted that Karen Bender is willing to “go deep, to burrow down into what’s right and wrong about 21st century America.” The story, “The Cell Phones,” best illustrates this. Looking forward to reading Ms. Bender’s novels.
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