Hungry People

by Tasha Coryell

Published by Split/Lip Press, these darkly comic short stories by Tasha Coryell explore the physical and emotional hungers that make people do surprising things to try and find satisfaction in a world where no one is ever really satisfied. All of the characters in Hungry People are hungry for something. Some are hungry for love, others are hungry for fame or money or children or food itself. These darkly funny stories explore the inexplicable cravings of people and the ways in which they try to fulfill them.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

198 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2018

About the author

Tasha Coryell is the author of the novels LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER (2024) and MATCHMAKING FOR PSYCHOPATHS (2025). Her book of short stories, Hungry People, was published by Split Lip Press in 2018.

Tasha holds an MFA in creative writing and a PhD in composition and rhetoric from the University of Alabama. She currently lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, two children, and greyhound.

Reviews

[Allison Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read August 2024: I had to re-read this one after reading Love Letters to a Serial Killer since Coryell mentioned a short story inspired her novel. All of these stories are so great and strange though - still really enjoyed it. (Disclaimer: I am no longer affiliated with Split/Lip Press but still can't recommend their books enough.)

Originally read October 2020: Some of these stories are completely surreal, and it makes them so delightful! I love reading short fiction, but reading twisted stories makes it even more enjoyable. (Disclaimer: I am the Publicity & Reviews Manager for Split/Lip Press.)

[Dr. Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kind of reminds me of All the Wrong Ideas by Jeremy Robert Johnson. Just has that vibe of weird, a little uncomfortable, but so good.

[Imaan Jumat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disturbed but not disappointed.

I guess we're all just hungry.

A lot of literary short story collections often feel the same to me; like a dream.

And by that I mean how you have no control over your dream, and you transition from one crazy, sometimes absurd storyline or narrative to another.

[Tim DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are excellent. Light and humorous at first, each story turns powerful and poignant as soon as I reflected back on it. These characters are all so...hungry. Hungry for relationships, hungry for purpose, hungry for life. Tasha Coryell is a compelling storyteller, and I am excited to read whatever comes next from this young talent.

[Michael B Tager · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful collection. Coryell has really depicted truly starving people: for food, for love, for children. The stories are funny and painful and feel like they’re drawn from true portraits.

While all the stories are great, the stories about children are especially powerful. My person favorite might be 5 Bad American Habits I Broke While Traveling Through Europe.

[Madeleine Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. I loved the theme throughout of the disturbed and insatiable need for something. Seems to be a characteristic of humanity not frequently discussed and I appreciated the way it was discussed in these stories.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some intriguing stories, but wish the author had pushed further to explore the themes. Would have taken more stories with more exploration as opposed to the number of stories that only barely touched the thematic surface.

[Heather Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique, salacious read!

[Elizabeth Theriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

like a set of rose gold knives sticky with ice cream and human fluids

[Laura Eppinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, strange stories to a consumerist culture of abundance--obscene abundance--while still so many of us live on the edge or experience homelessness and hunger

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesomely unusual short stories. So well written-- I loved it.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed the spare, deadpan style.

[Kelly Jane Motamed · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rating
I really enjoyed these short stories, they were so bizarre but funny/unique and quite scary at times! My favourite was wild bird feed emporium!

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

what a little bizarre collection of stories. audacious and shocking to drive home our emptiness and loneliness.

[Split Lip Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blurbed by Leesa Cross-Smith, Michael Martone, and Tabitha Blankenbiller, "Hungry People" explores the inexplicable cravings of people and the ways in which they try to fulfill them. We simply adored Tasha Coryell's darkly funny stories, which Cross-Smith compares to "smoky, steamy, beery nights plus danger and sex and fireworks." Yes please!!!

[Kelly Schoenegge]

My review: https://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/revi...