Creative Types and Other Stories

by Tom Bissell

"Tom Bissell is one of America's best and most interesting writers." --Stephen King, in the anthology Flight or Fright

From the best-selling author of The Disaster Artist , a new collection of stories that range from laugh-out-loud funny to disturbingly dark--unflinching portraits of women and men struggling to bridge the gap between art and life.

A young and ingratiating assistant to a movie star makes a blunder that puts his boss and a major studio at grave risk. A couple hires a partner for a threesome to rejuvenate their relationship after the birth of their child. An assistant at a prestigious literary journal reconnects with a middle school frenemy and finds his carefully constructed world of refinement cannot protect him from his past.
In these and other stories, Tom Bissell vividly renders the complex worlds of characters on the brink of artistic and personal crisis--writers, actors, and other creative types who see things slightly differently from the rest of us. Surreal, poignant, squirmingly awkward--and always just a little bit off--this collection is a brilliant new offering from one of the most versatile and talented writers in America today.

A bridge under water
My interview with the Avenger
Punishment
Love story, with cocaine
The fifth category
Creative types
The hack

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 2021

About the author

Tom Bissell (born 1974) is a journalist, critic, and fiction writer.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "crisp, robust , surprising" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Pantheon books. This was released December 2021. I am providing an honest review.

Fuck a wacky duck ! I absolutely love how this dude writes...clear, crisp, intelligent with surprising snips of both humor and poignancy. Each of these stories is worthy of being made into a quirky arthouse Hollywood film. Please let me do the casting lol !

How can this collection be all fucking five stars...Just how ?(ok there was one that I rated a measly 4.5 stars). I have added his other collection of short stories and a nonfiction book on the Apostles of Jesus (so bloody curious about that one.) Anyhow I am now an ardent fan !

Without further ado I am listing in ranked order the short story and a little thought or feeling....

7. Punishment (4.5 stars) two school bullies reunite for a visit as very different types of men
6. Creative Types (5 stars) a hired female escort by a Hollywood couple turns from erotic to domestic....sad and true
5. The Hack (5 stars) the trials and tribulations of an assistant to an A-list actor who is appearing on Saturday night live...loved the subdued melodrama
4. My Interview with the Avenger (5 stars) ... a superhero and a journalist have a therapeutic conversation

Bronze...Bridge Under Water (5 stars) growing disrespect, arrogance and the complexities of a new marriage during a trip to Rome...interpersonally fascinating

Silver...Love Story with Cocaine (5 stars) a quirky, touching story of nihilism and cokeheads in Estonia

Gold...The 5th Category(5 stars)....one of the best short stories I have ever read...an absolutely terrifying tale of horror, torture and espionage....freaked me the fuck out !

I bow to your brilliance Mr. Bissell !!

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man wakes up mid-flight to find the plane empty of people - except for the cockpit where all he hears is quiet weeping. A street-level vigilante is interviewed in the woods at night. An escort shares the harrowing story of her dead friend with a middle-class couple looking for a threesome. And the fallout from the real-life Sony hack during the release of the 2014 movie The Interview starring James Franco and Seth Rogen is told from the perspective of James’ fictional(?) assistant.

Tom Bissell’s Creative Types and Other Stories is the best short story collection I’ve read in years (the last one being 2017’s The Relive Box by TC Boyle, in case anyone was wondering).

That said, the first couple of stories are a bit underwhelming. A Bridge Under Water is about a couple on their honeymoon in Europe and you can already start to see cracks in their relationship that indicate the marriage probably won’t go the distance. My Interview with the Avenger, about a man interviewing a famous vigilante who’s been off the grid for a few years, is a fun premise but rather weak story about… something? Both are sort of about identity, I think. But they’re also not boring stories and even within them are moments to appreciate - clever dialogue or an interesting observation, always delivered via accessible prose - that speaks to the uniqueness of the writer.

Punishment is the first story that really impressed me. It’s about two childhood friends reuniting as adults and the protagonist realising that they’re not really friends and moreover decides to find out just why they bullied kids when they were much younger. It’s a story I’ve never read before about the difference between childhood and adult friendships and trying to understand childhood behaviour and reconcile the things you did later on down the line. The ending is a bit obvious in what it’s going for, but I get it, endings are tough, and it’s still a powerful, compelling and relatable story.

Love Story, with Cocaine is about a rich Estonian girl falling for a rich American boy as they do drugs and meander around Estonia. I’m not totally sure what the point was - I got the impression it was circling something meaningful, though only that - but it’s entertaining, unpredictable and I still enjoyed it.

The Fifth Category is probably the best story here. It’s also the first of two stories (that I’m aware of) that features a real person as the protagonist - in this instance it’s John Yoo, the legal counsel to George W. Bush during the early years of his first term, where he made torture, like waterboarding, seem legal. I wonder if Bissell chose Yoo deliberately as a sort of wish-fulfilment for how he would like to see the man treated, given what he put so many other men through thanks to his work.

The mystery of a man waking up on a plane in mid-flight that’s empty of people is immediately gripping and builds beautifully, before Bissell introduces the elements that tells you who the protagonist is, and why it’s all happening. I initially felt it was underdeveloped - there remain some unanswered questions that you can more or less resolve yourself - and rushed but, thinking about it some more, it’s actually quite a brilliant finale. And I’m sure Yoo deserves that kinda thing too, along with Bush and his (surviving) cronies.

Creative Types, about a couple who are newly parents and looking to enliven their sex lives by hiring an escort for the evening, has a very unexpected and gripping story in its centre. I’m getting a feel for Bissell’s style of storytelling and sometimes these left turns don’t totally work - like in Bridge and Avenger - but it definitely did with the title story.

The Hack is the final story and, like with The Fifth Category, features a real person - though, because Bissell leaves off their surname again (probably for legal reasons), it takes you a minute to realise “James” is James Franco. (I also wonder if Bissell knows Franco in real life given that he co-wrote The Disaster Artist, which was later made into a movie starring Franco.)

It’s a fun story that reminded me of when a bunch of unreleased Sony movies and private company emails got leaked online and the fallout surrounding that debacle while Sony were releasing Franco/Rogen’s controversial comedy movie about the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (it’s implied the hack was retaliation by North Korea for making fun of their leader).

Bissell convincingly portrays the life of a harried assistant to a megastar like Franco as well as capturing the frantic, exciting world of live television, as Franco prepares to host Saturday Night Live later that day, the monologue being rewritten to the last minute to exclude any references to the Sony hack.

This collection is a wonderfully imaginative and creative mix of inspired and original short fiction by an undeniable talent. I was frequently awed by the writing and confident, memorable storytelling and had a lot of fun reading this brilliant collection. I highly recommend Tom Bissell’s Creative Types and Other Stories to all fans of short fiction.

[Beca ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this sounded like a really interesting read, and I was excited to read something outside of my go-to genres. Unfortunately, after finishing it I'm left not knowing what the point of the collection was.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jaksen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, to use contemporary lingo, I don't see what the big deal is.

Some long short stories - which I usually like - which are totally, completely, wholly and absolutely uninteresting. Was I supposed to learn something, be enlightened, feel they forced a 'shadow' on world events, life, politics, and the every day uselessness of existence? Umm, maybe I did feel a little of that...

Otherwise, a complete waste of time, and though I will say this: The guy CAN write, hence two stars., what he writes about is ....

Those 'dots' stand for nothing at all.

Two empty stars.

[booktuberbuddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Book is a collection of seven short stories. Every story is a different one, with some being humorous and some dark and others about art.

Seven Short Stories are:
A Bridge Under Water
My Interview With the Avenger
Punishment
Love Story With Cocaine
The Fifth Category
Creative Types
The Hack

I liked the cover of the book, so different and colorful much like the stories in ithe book.
Plot of the stories is unique and intriguing.

In Short Stories " Bridge Under Water", "My Interview with the Avenger" , uniqueness becomes a bit confusing. May be its the writing style of the author especially writing humorous scenes that created a bit of confusion.

Other than that, Stories have been crafted well with good description of characters and scenes surrounding them. I liked the Short stories " Creative Types" and "Punishment". Overall, It is a good attempt to create stories that are different from what is available in the world of books.

[Oviya Balan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Loved the idea behind the book. Multiple short stories with different characters proving the human kind is twisted and complicated by all means.

The writing didn't stand strong and I couldn't feel connected to any of the story hence had to give only three stars.

[Allen Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the best fiction is built around interesting ideas and/or individuals. It’s just the amount of time and space devoted to them that varies. While novels spend hundreds of pages delving into their core concepts and characters, short fiction tends to provide a much quicker hit.

And sometimes, the quicker hit is the one that hits hardest.

Tom Bissell’s new collection “Creative Types: And Other Stories” delivers a septet of such hits; we watch as people are forced to confront the realities around them on both micro and macro levels, leaving them to explore the impacts of actions on themselves and their larger worlds.

Whether we’re in the offices of a literary magazine or a Roman hotel room, discussing an interview with a masked vigilante or the aftermath of a PR misfire on the stage of “Saturday Night Live,” what Bissell does so wonderfully in “Creative Types” is illustrate just how much turmoil exists beneath the seeming placid surface attitudes of those who operate in a creative orbit.

The collection kicks off with “A Bridge Under Water,” a portrait of a marriage whose participants begin to question whether their union was a good idea as it all unravels on an Italian holiday. “Punishment” is the story of a grown man confronting the realities of his past as a middle school bully when his former partner-in-crime turns up for a visit. The collection’s titular tale revolves around a couple whose quest to spice up their love lives turns into a conflict with the escort they’ve invited to join them.

“Love Story, With Cocaine” watches as a wealthy daughter of industry winds up entangled with a mysterious American courtesy to a dog attack and a pile of cocaine. “The Hack” follows the misadventures of the assistant to a famous movie star (who is DEFINITELY James Franco) after an unapproved joke about the infamous Sony hack makes it into said star’s “SNL” opening monologue. And “The Fifth Category” sees a mid-level government lawyer – the one responsible for deconstructing the legality (not the morality) of “enhanced interrogation.”

And in “My Interview with the Avenger” – my personal favorite of the seven – we get a glossy magazine profile in which the writer interviews a reclusive masked vigilante. It’s an engaging parody of that kind of breathless feature writing while also serving as an exploration of the nature of vigilantism. There’s a healthy dose of questioning celebrity culture as well. Granted, as a superhero fan of long standing AND a writer myself, this was always going to land with me, but Bissell has crafted something truly engaging and thought-provoking here.

But the truth is that all of the stories in “Creative Types” are engaging and thought-provoking, delivered with deft prose and wicked humor. The real joy of collections like this is the fact that you’re given not one authorial vision, but seven – all of them different, yet undeniably bound by the style and substance of Bissell’s singular talents.

To leap from story to story, from perspective to perspective, from character to character – it’s some of the most fun you can have as a reader of literary fiction, particularly when it is being delivered by someone as gifted as Bissell. The people in these stories are both flawed and inevitably forced to confront those flaws (though often not particularly successfully). These confrontations bring forward larger notions that run the gamut, though most if not all seem to be grounded in the consequences of choice – consequences that we don’t always anticipate.

Bissell also has a real knack for crafting complex relationships, finding ways to evoke the layers of interpersonal interaction in just a few sentences. In stories like “A Bridge Under Water” and the titular tale, we’re privy to the complicated nature of these relationships almost instantly, which allows everyone – Bissell and the reader alike – to more quickly dig into the meat of the matter.

There’s something slyly subversive about many of these stories as well; while some are fairly overt about the ideological challenges they present, Bissell also finds ways to fold subtler concepts into the proceedings. And perhaps most importantly, they all succeed as stories – they’re beautifully crafted and narratively compelling even as they wade into deeper philosophical waters.

“Creative Types” is precisely what you hope to get when you dive into a collection of short fiction – a vast and varied spectrum of stories, all connected by intelligence, wit and a distinctive voice. Tom Bissell is one of the best in the business; this book is a reflection of that excellence.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celebrities pay a heavy price → entertaining us.

How did the book make me feel/think?

Roger isn't a rockstar, movie star, internet star.

He's human, just like you and me.

Roger wants to dabble.

Dabble, he does, to feel special. Star worthy.

Every week, Rog hits the After Hour Club to pop Molly, swig water, shake his ass.

At closing time, Roger fears home.

A group is walking, passing by on the street. Rog gloms on → a newfound celebrity lifestyle is subtracting years from his life. The group heads indoors, to one of their apartments. Roger tags along. He wants → wants → as the chemicals fuel his desire. He watches a man and woman conversing a few feet in front of him. His hand brushes over his… as he sits on the couch. The man breaks free of the conversation, approaches Roger, and says, "I just got a call. There's a lineup to get in. You must go." The man wasn't on the phone. Roger leaves. He heads home in frustration.

Creativity is a young person's world. A big hit. Flush with cash. Lost. Alone. Quickly becoming irrelevant. TikTok. Superbowl ads now have teasers. The world is racing. A big creative hit turns into a life filled with destruction: Cocaine, lubricity, the first time I typed lubricity, the second time I typed → live fast, die young, broken, irrelevant, flush with cash as you are replaced by whatever is next.

Tom Bissell has a magic pen.

Why?

Because if he's writing from experience. TikTok. Flush with cash.

Creative Types is a captivating top of the list, read.

Thank You, Tom.

How's Roger?

It was merely a phase.

Roger isn't part of the book?

WRITTEN: 10 February 2022

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories, as bleak as they are, feature some dynamite characters who are even more intriguing than the plotlines. Also, the writing is really good, and highly engaging. But, ya gotta be prepared for the themes which are: discomfort, crossed wires, and disappointment. I think once that's clear, it's less distressing to deal with. I really liked the stories overall, with the possible exception of "Hack" which I didn't completely understand.

[Jordan Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this short story collection. Big recommend.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richly drawn characters. Each story is so unique it could lead you to believe they were written by different authors.

[Alexa Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 /// i think this is my first book of short stories & overall i really enjoyed it! not all of the stories were my favorite, but i liked specific ones. & i think the collection represented diversity in ideas/thoughts on many things, also representing the “creative types” who view the world differently.

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this, in fact I read two of the short stories, skimmed maybe another couple and then gave up. I liked the sound of it, even typing out the blurb above I found myself thinking they sound like really interesting stories. But then I remember I don’t really enjoy short stories, I struggle to connect, I need more context, more contact with the characters. If anyone does take it up let me know what you think…

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall interesting. Although I found some of the stories kind o hard to get into because the introductions were kind of dull and when they started getting good the chapter would end. There was some very interesting characters throughout, though!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really unique sentences and word choices. I was intrigued by all of the different scenarios. Would have loved a prologue or epilogue saying some words about a crosslink between all of the stories.

[Sierra Ard · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and entertaining collection of short stories! Bissell does a great job of creating different tones within each of the different characters throughout the collection. Each story feels completely different from the last, so there's a little something for everyone! My personal favorite is "Love Story, with Cocaine"; both the characters in it are very well-written and real, which makes for an entertaining read.

[Jenni V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book**

I really liked the majority of these stories. They were character-driven but in foreign places so it made them a little more exotic than typical "slice-of-life" stories. They were unpredictable with varied themes throughout the stories so it didn't feel repetitive as some short story collections can.

I cringed multiple times while reading; that's not a bad thing but a description of when an author keeps you on your toes because you don't know what's going to happen and it's a little uncomfortable as you find out. Sometimes it was intentional to the story, such as the realistic "foot-in-mouth" awkward conversations in "Creative Types". Sometimes I'm not sure it was as intentional - "The Hack" read a little creepy to me since it was about real people and I'm not familiar enough with the author or actors to know if there's a backstory I'm missing. Sometimes it was "so bad it's funny", such as some of the descriptions during sex scenes ("his cock was as warm as a mouthful of blood" - definitely descriptive but not expected or appealing).

I would definitely read this author again.

Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this sounded like a really interesting read; the accolades in the blurb were really promising, and I was glad to find something a little bit different. I don't often read collections of short stories as I prefer longer novels, but I was excited to get my teeth into this one.

Unfortunately, I've just finished it and I'm feeling disappointed. Although I was expecting it to be a collection of unconventional and perhaps random stories, I feel as though I'm left not knowing what the point of the collection is.

The stories are all unrelated, have their own focuses, and I think are designed to be different, or even controversial. I did like that they were unpredictable, as it kept me on my toes throughout. I never knew what would be coming next.

However, if the aim was to be controversial, then I do think the author had succeeded, as certain parts of stories made me feel a little bit uncomfortable. Moreover, the stories just left me feeling wholly dissatisfied. Just as a story was getting interesting, it would come to an end, and often in the most random and bizarre of places.

I finished this book feeling disappointed and dissatisfied. Not for me at all.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was kinda grim. I don't mean to penalize the book for doing what it was trying to do, which was—in my eyes, at least—exploring different varieties of discomfort. There are 100 names for love, or whatever, so why shouldn't a collection of stories look at all the ways you can want to leave the room, look away, yank someone out of a spiraling situation, or just flinch? From aggressively provocative new spouses to now-grown high school bullies to an awkward threesome to literal torture, Bissell knows how to set a scene to make a reader uncomfortable. And I was, throughout. The writing is good, the scenarios are imaginative, and often the stories' payoffs are interesting—I didn't put the book down, which speaks to all of the above. But man, I definitely thought about it a few times—this is not a collection that cuts the reader any slack.

[caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was charmed by the cover of Creative Types but disappointed in the contents. I found the first few stories somewhat repulsive, if I'm being honest- perhaps Bissell was going for irony and satire, but if so, it certainly didn't come through in the prose. Instead, there are unlikeable characters doing offensive things in the name of being- maybe edgy? Maybe symbolic? Maybe complex, if I'm being generous? The later stories in the collection have more potential- my heart was in my throat for the beginning of 'The Fifth Category', but then the winding construction of the story dulled the impact somewhat, which was a common pattern throughout the collection.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of these stories.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of seven stories, best read one at a time and not all at once. Unlike some collections, there's no overriding theme except perhaps the past coming back to bite some of the protagonists. And regret. There's a lot of regret here. These aren't particularly likable people (I was especially struck by the couple who hired an escort) but there are also some scenarios that might make you chuckle. The writing is clear and to the point- there's no doubt when it's satire either, Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally love short story collections that get me to think. This selection of short stories didn't quite do it for me, however. I didn't find the characters very likable, and they seemed very one dimensional with not much depth, so it was hard to relate to them for that reason.

I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

[lindsey silver · Rating 2 out of 5]

disappointed by what this ended up being. was expecting numerous stories about different creatives that would inspire me in my own creative situations but most of the stories mentioned one line or two about the creative aspect of the person and then went into a mundane unrelated story. I enjoyed some of the stories but was left unsatisfied with their endings, I wish some of them were longer and had less of a cliff hanger ending.

[Sarah Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great short story collection that was full of unexpected gems. I haven’t read Bissell before, but he had me hooked on the first Roman honeymoon story and then the couple trying to find their passion again. While the stories don’t connect, each individual narrative has a down-to-earth feel that makes you keep reading. Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended

Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:

https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...

[Eli Maxwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

wow this was uh not at all fun to read. yeesh. adverb city over here.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tom Bissell drops readers into selected snippets of humanity with his short story collection Creative Types and Other Stories. The unifying theme amongst Bissell's tales is the inclusion of some sort of innovation person - for better or for worse - having to adapt to an unusual situation. The book opens with A Bridge Under Water, following a newly married couple's tour of a Jewish temple in Rome. The unnamed woman is having second thoughts over their nuptials, exacerbated by the unnamed husband's refusal to comply with wearing the mandated yarmulke. A newspaper reporter, jaded by the death of his brother, meets New York's most famous vigilante for a chat during My Interview with the Avenger. The late night discussion causes the writer to wonder whether people feel safer with or without the actions of the crime fighter. Punishment reunites two former classmates for a weekend in New York; as boys, they were bullies looking for any excuse to dole out physical pain and embarrassment. During the three days spent together, it would appear only one seems to evolved any semblance of remorse regarding their actions. A bored Soviet trust fund girl finds a new American playmate as Love Story, with Cocaine unfolds. United by boredom but separated by his refusal to be intimate with her, the two forge an unlikely friendship cemented by a near-fatal accident. The Fifth Category sends a government lawyer on a trip to Estonia, where he speaks publicly about his leaked memo regarding categories of torture. His attempt to fly back home early leads to him experience not only his four defined categories, but also facing the brutal titular one as well. A married couple looking to inject some spice back into their lives hires an escort to do just that in Creative Types. Despite the initial foreplay, they soon find themselves sharing pictures of their children instead of the planned arrangement. The Hack is the final piece, showcasing the fallout of a celebrity hacking scandal. The focus in on a Saturday Night Live assistant, whose misread text allows a skit to be performed that quickly seeds backlash from the industry professionals and actors. Tom Bissell has a tendency to form the germ of a story that can hook readers, but allows it to meander aimlessly before abruptly cutting it short. Many of the included works wax poetic about nothing before finally returning to the overall plot. Whether it was the feminist book mentioned in an argument, a history of a failing newspaper, the adoption history of a greyhound, or even the ensemble of SNL and their interactions, the focus strays far enough from the storyline to become unnecessary details. As such, the interactions between primary characters hold little to no weight, leading to a lack of empathy for them and their situations. The majority of the offerings have no full resolution; they seem to be a frustratingly small snapshot of a larger unfinished picture. Creative Types and Other Stories builds captivating frameworks, but they end up being window dressing for empty canvases.

[Peter Knox · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I know Tom got his start writing short fiction stories, these were the first I’ve read of his.

For anyone that’s followed TB and enjoyed his creative nonfiction, you’ll find this collection to be a mixed bag about what you love (and don’t) about him.

The writing is very inside baseball; Tom trying very hard at proving he knows more than you about something because of his access, research, or life.

It’s something that DFW does that looks effortless, but the effort TB puts forth here feels strained and not self aware enough - or too self aware that it takes the reader out of it.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some really fantastic bits and pieces throughout this book that keep you reading and in turn shocked and humored. TB is gifted at his craft and it’s a pleasure to read his work.

The final story was the most telling… obviously TB got the inside track on James Franco & Seth Rogen (from his work on The Disaster Artist, which I loved). It feels written just to show off how much TH understands the inner workings of SNL and the Sony / China hack around The Interview movie release. (Rogen’s own book I read last year lays this out even better).

While the fictionalized version feels too over the top, still parts rang very true and TB does seem to nail the characters and details and self awareness that comes with being a short lived assistant in the middle of it.

Other stories, involving a love story with heavy cocaine use - TB revels in his personal ability to relate to this kind of abuse and how that adds verisimilitude to his telling.

The other is like a revenge fantasy against the Bush administration without much more to say for it.

There was a cringe story set in Manhattan (where clearly TB spent a lot of time and is intent on proving he knows details about the real NYC only a local would know) dealing with old childhood friends with whom you now have nothing in common and class and pasts, and it shocks.

Another, a successful white couple coping with being new parents, had great truth to it but ends predictably after a high wire act - so much that it felt autobiographical, and that’s what this book feels like an exercise in.

I’ll have to read more of the early fiction to relate, but those looking for a fictionalized version of Magic Hours (which is terrific - go read now!) won’t find it here. They’ll find something else, which is what TB clearly wanted to do and it makes for a fine read, nothing more.

[Rob Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable. Intriguing. Thoughtful and mature themes. Great writing.

In my opinion, Mr. Bissell is at his best when dipping into universal truths of relationships between men and women. This collection of stories does not disappoint. There's plenty of sex - both romantic and pornographic; hey it's 21st century literature: same themes different words. There's violence and philosophy. There's religion and international intrigue and culture. There's Hollywood, New York City and Russia. And there's one story that I found impossible to quantify or understand. (A man wakes up on an airplane flying over the Atlantic with no people on-board. Not my cup of tea - and a curious (sci-fi?) add-on in this volume in my opinion.)

This is grown up material. Read Tom Bissell. He's great. Here are a few quotes.

Bissell wrote:

His brother, a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, had over the last 5 years of his eventful service become quite a collector of military-grade phraseology: unimprovised road, northeasterlyward, shrapmetal, validify, and increasely. [Also] "a bridge underwater" ... used to describe a particularly bad Ramaldi neighborhood... /14

Mark has a sudden, impossible vision of educating this girl...How easy it would be to sneak [her] past the checkpoints designed to bar good Christian girls from the halls of culture. / 79

One of the iron laws of gender, she had believed, was that any two people of the opposite sex, provided with or punished by an excessive amount of time together, will, at some point, kiss - out of curiosity, if nothing else. /107

Everything cocaine did not make unbearably clear it erased. / 110

She had never met anyone so determined to misunderstand everything around him. She wondered if she was not a person in [his] mind but a character in some story he would not even bother to write. / 114

Hugging Haley was like lying in a strange bed you didn't want to get out of. / 157

Haley plucked from its dish a pitted black olive so wizened and oily it resembled the liver of a vampire bat. / 160

Intimacy between men and women begins as a hungry, prickly current that registered itself by moving back and forth along a straight line. It was an exchange. But [as new parents find] when you add a child to this line, it bends until it's no longer a line but a circle that gets past, through, and around you both, self replenishing and internally regenerating. And this was called a process. / 163

[Edward Champion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Bissell is one of the most criminally underrated writers we have. I believe so profoundly in his talent that I once blocked out a week and a half to read all of his work and do the ultimate Bisseell interview. But CREATIVE TYPES, while a stronger story collection than GOD LIVES IN ST. PETERSBURG, reveals that Bissell may very well be better at essays, memoir, travel writing, and reporting than he is at short stories. What works in his nonfiction (the personal asides, the flaunting of autodidactic erudition) doesn't always work in his fiction and sometimes hinders him from revealing real human truth. What was so moving about THE FATHER OF ALL THINGS and EXTRA LIVES comes off, in fiction form, as strangely belabored and a tad self-sabotaging. (On the other hand, I'm Bissell's age and I'm also a self-sabotager. So maybe my criticism here is a reflection of parallels I see between us -- even though my life and writing style is completely different.)

Take the story "Punishment." Two old friends (and a lover in tow) from Michigan meet for a stay in New York. Bissell has previously demonstrated a commitment to empathy and honesty and this story, drawn so closely from his own impressive autodidactic upbringing, should have been a knockout. But in fiction form, the story comes across as needlessly snobbish, with potshots at yokels that are simply BENEATH Bissell. I've met this dude a few times. He's a good guy, a consummate understander of people who is needlessly hard on himself. But it truly disappointed me to see Bissell take the easy way out. Bissell's many longueurs in some of these stories got in the way of his strengths. Maybe when it comes to fiction, Bissell is better in scriptwriting form than prose. But I'll still carry on believing in him.

But when Bissell lands -- as he does with "A Bridge Under Water" and the title story -- he can be eloquent and revealing. Even so (and maybe this is an arrogant thing for me to say, but so fucking be it), there was a part of me that really wanted to edit the fuck out of Tom and help him get to the crux of his stories. He's simply too great and too smart a writer to make these commonplace mistakes.

Still, I do recommend the collection. And I'm only being hard on Tom because, well, I'm the most fastidious on the writers I most appreciate.