Sleepaway: Writings on Summer Camp

by Eric Simonoff

Margaret Atwood tells of a girl swallowed up by the woods and lost forever. Mark Oppenheimer experiences leftist utopia in a nature camp. David Sedaris avoids having a bowel movement for a month. ZZ Packer teaches a lesson in black and white to the girls of Brownie Troop 909.
These are among the stories and essays in this anthology featuring eighteen diverse writers remembering with nostalgia--as well as dread--the childhood days of summer camp. Ah, camp, where a bullied young girl with limp hair and three names will do anything to meet the demands of being popular; where Woody Guthrie is no longer a folk icon, but rather a cabin for young nudists; and where, in that Kumbaya solitude, homesickness, independence, and the need for healthy revenge all stick like s'mores to the heart and soul.
Featuring stories, essays, and cartoons by:
James Atlas
Margaret Atwood
Kevin Canty
Terry Galloway
Lev Grossman
Cynthia Kaplan
Josh Lambert
Andrea Lee
Ursula K. LeGuin
Thisbe Nissen
Mark Oppenheimer
ZZ Packer
Steven Rinehart
David Sedaris

Genres: Short Stories, Essays, Nonfiction, Summer

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Eliza Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sleepaway, an anthology of writings on summer camp edited by Eric Simonoff – I recommend this. Contains some of the most interesting essays and short stories I’ve read so far. What happens inside Jewish summer camps, leftist summer camps, music summer camps? Lev Grossman talks of a music summer camp he once attended, where the campers during an unsuccessful softball game avoided the ball “for fear of spraining their long, limber fingers”. James Atlas, in one of my favorite essays in this anthology, talks of a summer camp for intellectuals and writers, where instead of flashlights they were asked to bring Bic pens, and where nobody played baseball and the “tennis court was deserted”. In a letter to his parents he rattled off his activities (panel discussion on modern poets, Shakespeare Festival, jazz music and Chekhov) and ended with “Culture! I can’t take it anymore; send comic books – anything.”

[Joni Graybill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on Goodread's description of the ratings system, this could have been a one star for me since I did not like it, but I didn't actively hate it either. I was just vaguely bored throughout. I like to save 1-star reviews for seething hatred.

I never went to summer camp when I was a kid. The closest I ever got was a few school field trips we took in the fall as a class to places that clearly served as summer camps in warmer months. Those few isolated excursions and a great adolescent love for the TV show "Salute Your Shorts" fostered an outsiders romanticized curiousity about the idea of going away to camp for the summer. Of course, I know I would have HATED IT since I've always been against new people in general and I was quite happy spending summer vacation on the beach, but, still, what would it have been like?

If it would have been like any of the short stories in this book, it would have been awful and I'm glad I missed out. Honestly, I found I couldn't relate to anything here and that's highly unusual for an empathic reader like me. Even pieces from authors I love, like Atwood and Grossman left me uninspired. Just not my cup of tea - hence why it took six months for me to finish.

[Elsa S · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who cares about their summer camp more than anything, I was intrigued by the idea of this book. Summer camp stories are always fun to hear, but some of these seemed very off. There were a few that I enjoyed, but a fair amount of the chapters were difficult to follow and highly blurred the line between fact and fiction (not in the good way). I also did not originally realize how long ago some of these writings took place. Overall I found this book very interesting, but hard to follow and definitely all over the place.


Also what was going on with Flipper, it seemed so strange and downright messed up to me, plus the repetition of very random things that are completely out of context lost me.

[Perrin Ireland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four stars for a few of the stories- there are gems from Margaret Atwood and Wendy McClure and Andrea Lee and ZZ Packer and Ellen Umansky. Also Cynthia Kaplan. Felt wonderful to be laughing about and remembering the way camp is. Three stars for having to wade through some stories I didn’t love as much.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun stories for anyone that's ever been to Summer Camp.

[Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the twenty contributors of short fiction, personal recollections, and poems here, only six or seven names sounded familiar, Margaret Atwood and Ursula K. LeGuin foremost among them (LeGuin's contribution was a disappointment, all the more keener for my high expectations; it read like a heavily workshopped short story). Below are the contributions which engaged me:

1) Death by Landscape by Margaret Atwood - There was something so familiar about this short story, and I just realized what it was, while typing this. It unfolds like the 1975 Peter Weir film, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

2) At August's End: Serving Time in Leftist Summer Camps by Mark Oppenheimer - An amusing essay on the writer's comparative study on commie camps for kids in the mid-eighties, where authority figures may as well serve as the early prototypes for today's morally superior, rabidly politically correct generation. How to label someone who disses Back to the Future for its "racism?" The future would eventually have a term for that: butt-hurt.

3) I Like Guys by David Sedaris - However dire the situation, expect David Sedaris to find humor in it. His piece harks back to a time when teachers could afford to be so openly racist and callously discriminating. Today it's their turn to stay in the closet.

4) Cello, Goodbye by Lev Grossman - Back when I still subscribed to Time Magazine, it was Lev Grossman's articles I usually read first. But I wasn't aware of his talent for music. His musical trajectory was amazing, and he was involved in pretty heady material. And such lofty ambitions, already within reach! Admirable, how pragmatically he was able to handle that rejection-by-increments. What I can't fathom is how easily and so completely he could ditch playing the cello. Why not play for fun the way I play the piano--for the dopamine rush? Is the cello so unlike the piano or the guitar, which can be played and enjoyed on its own?

5) Summer Memories of Egghead Camps by James Atlas - James Atlas's nostalgic piece on literary camps is reminiscent of my hometown’s national writers' workshop, the oldest in Asia, and (now discontinued) music camp.

6) The Girls of Camp Lenore by Diana Trilling - My first article by Diana Trilling, which is easily the most beautifully-written, moving contribution here. What a credit to Lionel Trilling she was--I look forward to reading more of her sensitive writing. She ends her sketch of summers at Camp Lenore to ponder on this: Where do our thoughts go when we are growing up and suppose that we have no further use for them?

Three and a half stars.

[Dani Peloquin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s summer and while I am too old for summer camp, there is nothing stopping me from reading about it. It is for this reason that I picked up “Sleepaway”. Though I never attended a sleep-away camp, I knew that it would make me nostalgic for summer vacations. In that regard, it hit the spot!!

As the cover shows, this collection includes numerous famous authors as well as some unknowns. The selections range from fiction, to memoir, to graphic/comics. In that aspect, the book is very well-rounded. There are eerie stories such as Margaret Atwood’s “Death by Landscape” in which two best friends attend summer camp but only one returns. There are humorous tales like Mark Oppenheimer’s remembrances of spending summer at a nudist camp only to spend the following summer at a leftist camp. If you’re looking for a story to pull at your heartstrings, Kevin Canty’s “Flipper” and Josh Lambert’s “The Brief Summer of Amir and Ariella” will do just that. “The Performance of Drowning” and “Apple Pie” had me completely captivated and I could easily have read a full novel based on both stories.

Of course, there were some duds in the collection. But these were very few and far between. I wold definitely recommend this as a summer read that fits perfectly into your beach bag.


www.iamliteraryaddicted.blogspot.com

[Anthony]

It's a mix of memoir/essay and short stories around the summer camp experience. Dina gave it to me, and I enjoyed it enough that I plan to pass it on to other people in our profession. Not every piece is a winner, and it bothered me that there was no indication from the editor (Eric Simonoff) as to what's fiction and what's not. Yes, I know, it should be obvious once you're a few paragraphs into it. I'm dense sometimes. Favorite pieces were "The Order of the Arrow," fiction by Steven Reinhart, and "I Like Boys," an essay by the always funny David Sedaris. If you've been to summer camp, have worked at a summer camp, have sent a child to summer camp or wonder what it is about summer camp that so deeply affects so many people, you should definitely check out this book. It's not one for the "permanent library," and I wouldn't read any of the stories to the younger kids who come to our camp, but it's still a good collection.

[Robyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really excited when I saw this book in a bargain bin. Thought that it would have some great stories to tell about Summer Camp. Seeing as I spent the majority of my childhood/younger adulthood at camp--and different ones at that (outdoor ones in Michigan and Colorado; a theater camp in Wisconsin; and as a counselor, an all-girls' camp in Minnesota), I was looking forward to some 'coming of age' stories and descriptions of places that would bring back memories of my own camping-years.

But I was sorely disappointed. First of all, much of the stories are fiction. Which still would've been fine--if the stories were worth reading. Many of them aren't. In fact, I found at least 2 of them to have some pretty offensive story lines. Camp should never be offensive! I hoped many of the stories would be humorous at least; and very few had me laughing.

[Leah Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted to learn of this book's existence, especially since the editor grew up at Camp Harlem, where I went as a kid. This is a lovely and varied collection including humor pieces, dark short stories, and starting with a bittersweet poem about sending a child off to camp for the first time. While the pieces are very different, they address common themes such as fitting in, seeking independence, first loves and first heartbreaks. My only problem with the book is that the pieces are not clearly marked as fiction or essays, and while I could mostly tell the difference, I was curious how many of the stories were true. My mom and I are reading this book at the same time, and it would help settle an argument (she thinks all of the stories are true and won't be convinced otherwise, which I guess speaks to the vividness of the details!)

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book of essays, and short stories. But that's not all as they say in the infomercials, it also had a poem and a comic. I loved camp as a kid, and these stories brought some great memories back, even though my horse camp was way different then some of the camps described here. A camp where you re-enact the Holocaust? A camp for classical musicians, meant to winnow out those who were not exceptional? This was a great idea for a book, and each story, each essay was very satisfying.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited for this collection, but it wasn't what I expected. Some are short fiction, and maybe some are memoir, but it isn't always clear. I thought it would be more humorous, but I found it dark. I did enjoy David Sedaris' essay and Andrea Lee's, as well. Some of them were really just depressing. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood. (But I have read other great camp books, and this didn't feel cohesive.)

[Laura Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent short story collection based around a central theme of summer camps. A lot of fiction, some non-fiction, and some other offerings like poetry and comics make this a delightful variety. As a child I always wanted to go to the magical place that summer camp seemed to be, but was never allowed. This anthology made me feel like I finally got to camp. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Any time you pick up a collection of short stories/essays you have to know there are some you will like better than others. Some of these were good, others just so-so. When the editor was picking out the selections though, I think he should have skipped the poem and cartoon submissions as those interrupted the flow a bit. I also have a feeling that while this book was filled with established writers, I would have preferred to read some fresh voices that are not as well known.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former camper myself, I loved this book. There was so much to relate to, and I really liked the variety of stories. Some funny, some sad, some disturbing. All sorts of camp experiences were touched on.

[Mitch Romig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked almost all of the stories in here, but after reading the introduction before buying it, I got the impression that it was going to be celebrating how great summer camp is and most of the stories were about how miserable kids were at summer camp.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the mix of fiction stories with non-fiction a bit confusing. I was surprised to find myself connecting with so much of this even though my own experiences at sleepaway camp consist of two nights as a camper and two nights as a counselor.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this in the bargain books at Borders. $3 well spent! Anyone who is feeling camp nostalgia should read these essays. At least one will really speak to you.

One complaint: the choice of the last story. It ended the collection on an unsettling note. Poor choice, I think.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only enjoyed one or two of the stories and Sharon Olds poem. Margaret Atwood as usual did not disappoint. Her little girl lost still has me hanging with questions. David Sedaris story, well... yawn. Sorry fans of D. S. I just don't get him much. Other thand that ..eh this book was tolerable.

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted this to be a collection of true coming-of-age stories about going to summer camp. Instead, it's mostly fiction of camp. And not even good fiction. The hell with it, I say.

[gwen g · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories were great and others mediocre, but I definitely enjoyed the collection as a whole. The ZZ Packer and Margaret Atwood stories alone made the book worth it.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need more books about camp. fiction, nonfiction, stories, whatever you know. can you help me?

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a whole, I really liked this book. There were some good stories, and some I wasn't interested in. But overall, it was good.

[Christin · Rating 2 out of 5]

My two favorite stories: "The Days of the Thunderbirds," and "The Devoted at Lake Delavan."

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its share of good and bad stories. If you went to summer camp as a kid or you really like short stories I would recommend this book, but I would hardly call it a "must read."

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute stories- some better than others.

[Heidi Bakk-Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun. Fun to read while the kids are at camp.