What do you think?
Rate this book
Working Men
Working Men features fourteen stories in as many different of men and women, young and old, blue collar and middle class, salesmen and craftsmen, vets and draft dodgers. They are the voices of Native Americans, New England Yankees, southern gentlewomen, by turns serious and comic, gay and straight, playful and sad. Masterfully spun and compellingly crafted, these stories comprise a diverse gallery of characters, written with an almost magical ability to bring each one achingly, vividly, truthfully to life.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
1 person is currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Michael Dorris
38 books87 followersMichael Dorris was a novelist, short story writer, nonfiction writer, and author of books for children
The first member of his family to attend college, Dorris graduated from Georgetown with honors in English and received his graduate degree in anthropology from Yale. Dorris worked as a professor of English and anthropology at Dartmouth College.
Dorris was part-Native American through the lineage of his paternal. He founded the Native American Studies department at Dartmouth in 1972 and chaired it until 1985.
In 1971, Dorris became the first unmarried man in the United States to adopt a child. His adopted son, Reynold Abel, was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and his condition became the subject of Dorris' The Broken Cord,(the pseudonym "Adam" is used for his son in the book).
In 1981, Dorris married aspiring writer Louise Erdrich. Throughout their relationship, Erdrich and Dorris edited and contributed to each other's writing.
In 1991, Dorris' adopted son, Reynold Abel, died after being hit by a car. In 1996, Louise Erdrich separated from Dorris. On April 10, 1997, Dorris committed suicide in Concord, New Hampshire.
The first member of his family to attend college, Dorris graduated from Georgetown with honors in English and received his graduate degree in anthropology from Yale. Dorris worked as a professor of English and anthropology at Dartmouth College.
Dorris was part-Native American through the lineage of his paternal. He founded the Native American Studies department at Dartmouth in 1972 and chaired it until 1985.
In 1971, Dorris became the first unmarried man in the United States to adopt a child. His adopted son, Reynold Abel, was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and his condition became the subject of Dorris' The Broken Cord,(the pseudonym "Adam" is used for his son in the book).
In 1981, Dorris married aspiring writer Louise Erdrich. Throughout their relationship, Erdrich and Dorris edited and contributed to each other's writing.
In 1991, Dorris' adopted son, Reynold Abel, died after being hit by a car. In 1996, Louise Erdrich separated from Dorris. On April 10, 1997, Dorris committed suicide in Concord, New Hampshire.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 20, 2022
I dived into this collection of short stories with great expectations. And all of them were met.
The title of this collection is poignant - it’s a book about men. Working men - some literally working, while others working on themselves or their problems or their pasts. Of course there are also many women, some of them main characters, sorting out the mess the men have done, others creating a mess to avenge said men. But what all of these stories have in common is Michael Dorris’s ability to swap magic and the everyday back and forth, to spin magic out of the ordinary, and to the mundane into magical tales. A ghost haunts a village in Alaska, but that’s no bother at all because everyone knows what to do. A man roams the country with a few stolen elephants, but of course no one can find them for years. A shirt is sold at a garage sale and becomes the talk of the town.
As usual, I really connected with this book because it’s mostly about people trying to figure things out. But most of them can’t, or won’t, or are incapable of doing it. There are feelings of yearning, of failing to belong, of succeeding with a price, and it kept my heart full with an array of feelings I’ve not had in a while. It’s either that or spring sadness.
The title of this collection is poignant - it’s a book about men. Working men - some literally working, while others working on themselves or their problems or their pasts. Of course there are also many women, some of them main characters, sorting out the mess the men have done, others creating a mess to avenge said men. But what all of these stories have in common is Michael Dorris’s ability to swap magic and the everyday back and forth, to spin magic out of the ordinary, and to the mundane into magical tales. A ghost haunts a village in Alaska, but that’s no bother at all because everyone knows what to do. A man roams the country with a few stolen elephants, but of course no one can find them for years. A shirt is sold at a garage sale and becomes the talk of the town.
As usual, I really connected with this book because it’s mostly about people trying to figure things out. But most of them can’t, or won’t, or are incapable of doing it. There are feelings of yearning, of failing to belong, of succeeding with a price, and it kept my heart full with an array of feelings I’ve not had in a while. It’s either that or spring sadness.
February 27, 2021
If you like Michael Dorris, this is a must read.
If you like short stories, this is a must read.
Dorris is one of my fav authors. This book is a collection of his shorts, most published in literary magazines, and several awarded prizes.
Good writing never goes out of style.
And, one of the stories in this book is timeless, "Groom Service," which is a peek into Native American social structure, especially surrounding the customs of courting and arranged marriages in the tribes. North American native peoples are organized on a matriarchal grid (which few would guess until they start to learn how native people live) and isn't that an interesting commentary on the evolution of non-native peoples surrounding the tribes.
And, that's just one story.
Most of the others are prize winners as well.
If you like short stories, this is a must read.
Dorris is one of my fav authors. This book is a collection of his shorts, most published in literary magazines, and several awarded prizes.
Good writing never goes out of style.
And, one of the stories in this book is timeless, "Groom Service," which is a peek into Native American social structure, especially surrounding the customs of courting and arranged marriages in the tribes. North American native peoples are organized on a matriarchal grid (which few would guess until they start to learn how native people live) and isn't that an interesting commentary on the evolution of non-native peoples surrounding the tribes.
And, that's just one story.
Most of the others are prize winners as well.
February 27, 2021
I had read this years ago and kept it because I knew I would one day want to read it again. I found this second reading to be just as enjoyable as the first. Michael Dorris writes with an even flow. His character development is superb and his lyrical prose puts me right into the scene. I would even go so far as to compare him to the master short story writer, Alice Munroe. I recently read a short piece on his life and it is sad that he lived through many troubling times, ending with his suicide.
October 13, 2009
One of my go-to comfort reads. I love everything about it, even the cover. And I bought it on an outdoor sales rack in Venice Beach for $1, which is both a triumph and a tragedy. RIP Michael.
October 16, 2021
These stories are all of a type, and I would say that while it bows to minimalists such as Raymond Carver, it is Michael Dorris in its base. Some stories made me consider the myriad faces of hope, with hope. Some made me feel hopeless. I worried for his protagonists, in each. Probably in part because of his own story. But also because each character mattered/matters.
May 15, 2025
Michael Dorris was a master storyteller. Each of these short stories is a world in itself. The reader has to decipher who the protagonist may be, when in time they lived, and where they started and ended up. Just enough detail is given to keep the stories engaging and make the reader want to know more. I liked that one story explained the character of Sky from A Yellow Raft in Blue Water.
April 26, 2021
Compiling an entire book of excellent short stories is difficult for all but the most skilled writers, and Dorris proves to be no exception. There's a few good stories in there, but mostly clinkers.
April 21, 2020
I enjoyed the first couple of stories but then the others felt dull and repetitive. Maybe they seem dated now?
December 3, 2022
These stories are amazing. So many different voices and perspectives. All have in common, perhaps, the randomness of human connection.
October 7, 2009
If you value the diversity of human experience, this is a good book for you. Granted, it is about the lives of men. Even so, women will appreciate this book too.
It is a compendium of short stories about men from all walks of life. As a gay man, I appreciated the fact that one of the stories involved a man who came to discover that aspect of his sexuality. I also appreciated that since I am the author of a spiritually and gay-themed book.
This book will be a novel change from Michael Dorris' fleshed out novels. I found that refreshing. Of course, I loved his other books as well. The one constant is that Michael Dorris is a highly skilled storyteller. He has an innate grasp of the human experience which makes his books easy to relate to.
Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"
It is a compendium of short stories about men from all walks of life. As a gay man, I appreciated the fact that one of the stories involved a man who came to discover that aspect of his sexuality. I also appreciated that since I am the author of a spiritually and gay-themed book.
This book will be a novel change from Michael Dorris' fleshed out novels. I found that refreshing. Of course, I loved his other books as well. The one constant is that Michael Dorris is a highly skilled storyteller. He has an innate grasp of the human experience which makes his books easy to relate to.
Davis Aujourd'hui, author of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"
November 10, 2007
The subtle poignancy of Michael Dorris' stories comes on immediately - as soon as you get the heartbreak or the heartwarm he slips in on you. The stories are easy to read, yet the language is not simplistic. It's not a style that I could read all the time, yet I really like it when I'm ready for it. Despite the controversy surrounding the author, I am sorry he is gone. For this book, I recommend the way I finished reading it - take your time and savor the stories in little gulps.
May 2, 2008
As I said, I've enjoyed Dorris' writing before, so I was expecting good things from these shorts, and was not the least bit disappointed. I love Dorris' writing style; Nothing sensational or shocking; he writes of every day people in every day situations, and his tales provide a sort of consolidation of experiences that the reader can relate to.
I enjoyed each of these fourteen tales, but I think my favorites were "The Benchmark", "Anything", and "Oui".
I enjoyed each of these fourteen tales, but I think my favorites were "The Benchmark", "Anything", and "Oui".
June 23, 2011
Wonderful stories; quick read. Some of his writing will stick with me: A man about his children - "They're content, but for their guilt over me since their mother died. I'm the loose board in their floor." I've been going through Louise Erdrich's novels, so thought I should explore Dorris also - no regrets.
January 31, 2014
There were some VERY good short stories throughout this book. It took me a while to get through it simply because it is a book of short stories. I found the consistent theme of relationship problems at the beginning of the book to be depressing, but as you get deeper into the stories near the end, they are really wonderful to read!
January 5, 2016
It gets off to a good start... Then clunk clunk clunk- Dated stories of idiosyncratic - in the odd/annoying, not intriguing, way - characters in stories that read like a brainstorm from a Montana high school creative writing class brainstorm. Barely finished.
January 1, 2009
Surprisingly good, interesting to read. The charachters can be a next door neighboor etc
June 27, 2012
Beautiful stories. "If I managed to lift my hand from the rise and fall of his breath, where would I find to set it down?" I haven't read this in 15 years, but that line has never left me. Keep.
July 27, 2012
Time to read again. Read it in Literature class back in 1998. Now I'm going to read for myself. One fav author.
December 30, 2012
My fav: Shining Agate.
June 8, 2014
It's pretty good!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews