Babe in Paradise: Fiction

by Marisa Silver

A New York Times Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2001, the critical success of Babe in Paradise heralds Marisa Silver as one of America's most talented young writers. The unforgettable characters of Babe in Paradise ―an aging stunt man, a chauffeur, and a voice-over actor among them―live on the periphery of Los Angeles's allure, outside its glamour and success. Marisa Silver's singular voice makes us care deeply about their everyday desperations and hard-won hopes.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Marisa Silver is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel, Mary Coin (published by Blue Rider Press, March 7th, 2013).

Marisa Silver directed her first film, Old Enough, while she studied at Harvard University. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 1984, when Silver was 23. Silver went on to direct three more feature films, Permanent Record (1988), with Keanu Reeves, Vital Signs (1990) and He Said, She Said (1991), with Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins. The latter was co-directed with her husband-to-be, Ken Kwapis.

After making her career in Hollywood, she switched her profession and entered graduate school to become a short story writer. Her first short story appeared in The New Yorker magazine in 2000 and subsequently several more stories have been published there.

Silver also published the short-story collection, Babe in Paradise, in 2001. That collection was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and was a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year. A story from the collection was included in The Best American Short Stories 2000. In 2005, she published No Direction Home and in 2008, The God of War was published to great acclaim.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful writer. Each short story describes ordinary lives in the most extraordinary ways. She captures the subtlety of how people feel versus how they express themselves. The real thinking that goes on in our heads... not the banal, shallow ways many writers describe how characters think and act. Marisa Silver gets to the truth and it can be so exciting, so sad, and sometimes so funny. She’s a true gem!

[Daniel Polansky]

A suite of short stories depicting the scuzzy, bitter, lonely realities of life in Los Angeles, where everyone imagines themselves two steps from blissful good fortune and would elbow their mother down an escalator to get there. I'm about half-kidding with that depiction, and while some of the stories do feel like every other story written about Los Angeles ('the air quality is terrible and I was going to visit a pornographer in the valley') the prose is strong and the occasional moments of human kindness feel earned and authentic.

[Joline Pruitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I just love this author. I loved The God of War so much that I started buying up all of Marisa Silver's books. I didn't know this was a collection of short stories and was really confused when the second "chapter" switched gears so drastically. When I realized what was going on I felt a little let down, but it turns out this book does not disappoint. I feel so close to her characters. She lives Los Angeles and writes about Eagle Rock, Glendale, and other places in SC so that I feel like I know her and can visualize her stories so vividly. Love love love. Ms. Silver please write more!!!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll call this a 3.5. I didn't care for the first couple of stories, but the later ones were better and the whole enterprise grew on me as I went along. Favorites were: "What I Saw From Where I Stood," which was previously published in The New Yorker and BASS 2001, so there's that; "Gunsmoke," also from The New Yorker; "Falling Bodies," and "The Passenger." All are set in Los Angeles and it's always fun to read of locations, especially micro-locations such as a specific intersection or landmark that I know, that let me picture the neighborhood and its atmosphere so precisely.

[laaaaames · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad for:

1. learning to finally appreciate short stories, this long into my oldpants life.

2. books that depict the Los Angeles I actually know.

(read: 75)

(Oh, I should say, I gave myself the goal of 150 books this year, since unlike last I don't plan on spending a bunch of time without a job, so this means I'm halfway through my goal with less than half the year gone by. Also I tend to read more in the fall and winter, which still lurk ahead. Do I up the goal to 200? I feel like if it's going to be a struggle I will have to.)

[Vlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silver's stories really touched me, every one of them engaged my attention from its first sentence to the last. Each story has a unique wound up plot, although, the main theme remains precise; the meticulously characterized relationships between parents and their children is breathtaking. Several times I had to stop myself because I had to fully digest the potency of her writing. Her tone is sincere and tender, and I love her similes. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I think I am going to order my own copy. Definitely a great read for both teens as well as parents.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really a big short story fan, but I loved Mary Coin and thought I'd give these a try. I was captured in each story almost immediately. The only obvious things in common are the occasional appearance of Babe and the settings of LA's less glamorous neighborhoods, but they share a certain tone and the theme of people basically disappointed in where they landed.

[Victoria Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of stories with one recurring character, Babe. Her characters are on the boundaries of success--and she writes beautifully about Southern California. Not nostalgic or cynical--precise.

[Ceci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta cómo escribe Marisa Silver. Hay mucha nostalgia en sus historias. Este es un libro de cuentos, lleno de personajes solitarios que tratan de seguir adelante a pesar de las circunstancias difíciles de sus vidas. es genial.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good selection of short stories which concentrate on the "down and outers" or people outside the mainstream of society in L.A. Marisa Silver has lately become a favorite novelist of mine with "The God Of War" and "No Direction Home".

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply put, I enjoyed the book. I have come to love short stories and enjoyed the character Babe popping up in the different stories. The only reason I gave the book only 3 stars is because it left me wanting more. The stories kinda felt unfinished to me.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it was written by Marisa Silver and I just loved Mary Coin by her. This is a collection of short stories set in Los Angeles. It's a good portrail of the "under belly" side of L.A. Good book

[Andrea MacPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marisa Silver's first book. Standalone and connected stories, all taking place in and around LA. Some of the stories understandably don't feel as polished as Silver's later work, often needing another beat or two before the final denouement, but they are still beautiful, heartbreaking, memorable.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

silver has something here with these spare, unflnching interconnected stories about unglamorous LA.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

great short stories, all take place in LA which makes it kind of fun.

[Danilo DiPietro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A proxy for a very well written short story in the New Yorker, ‘Tiny, Meaningless Things’.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty great selection of short stories.