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Truthtelling: Stories, Fables, Glimpses
“A grab bag of realist and experimental stories, each one a treasure . . . Wise, wry, and witty—theses stories in all their stylistic variations are perfect.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review A man generously lends his car to his ex-wife, and is bewildered when she not only neglects to return it but makes increasingly implausible excuses for her actions. A neat and orderly clothing store owner is taken in and manipulated by an ailing elderly neighbor. A wife left by her husband for a younger woman is forced to visit the couple in order to see her children—and makes a startling realization about her former spouse. In these stories and others, including an O. Henry Award winner and a Best American Short Stories selection, National Book Award finalist Lynne Sharon Schwartz presents readers with a cast of indefatigable New Yorkers whose long-established routines are disrupted by mishaps or swerves of fate. “Meticulously crafted . . . This first-rate collection demonstrates why Schwartz remains an American literary treasure.” —Publishers Weekly
- GenresShort Stories
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2020
6 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Sharon Schwartz
51 books52 followersLynne Sharon Schwartz (b. 1939) is a celebrated author of novels, poems, short fiction, and criticism. Schwartz began her career with a series of short stories before publishing her first novel, the National Book Award–nominated Rough Strife (1980). She went on to publish works of memoir, poetry, and translation. Her other novels have included the award-nominated Leaving Brooklyn (1989) and Disturbances in the Field (1983). Her short fiction has appeared in theBest American Short Stories annual anthology series several times. In addition, her reviews and criticism have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers. Schwartz lives in New York City, and is currently a faculty member of the Bennington Writing Seminars.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 28, 2020
What a collection of short stories! I feel like a character in a story in this book, “Castles in the Air”. An author, for years he was blessed with a “famously fertile imagination” until suddenly, “he had no ideas at all.” Like him, I am blessed with a wonderful book to review, but I am not sure I have the writing ability to convey to readers how much I enjoyed this book and how it made me feel. The stories of Truthtelling, subtitled “Stories, Fables, Glimpses” blend the realism of everyday situations with the experimentation of creative literary writing. Lynne Sharon Schwartz is a powerful and surprising writer.
The author writes with a straight-forward style, which allows her creative flourish of words and ideas to shine. Many stories begin with an ordinary, everyday occurrence that we all can relate to. But then the story veers off to highlight our foibles, moral dilemmas, desires and weaknesses. My favorite is “The Golden Rule”, which begins, “It started innocently enough. Could Amanda pick up a few groceries- it was raining so hard.” Sounds typical, right? Where will this lead to, you wonder? Most of the joy with these stories is in the journey.
“Near November” is very short, but what a poignant and searing look at 9/11. The shoes that are shown on the eye-catching cover may be from the story “Am I a Thief?”, which is ludicrous and likable.
A story that was published on Angionline in January, 2018 seems like it could have been written this year, 2020. “A Few Days Off” tells of a nameless woman who woke up one morning, decided to stay home from work and ended up remaining in bed for days.
Some of the stories are told in the first person and almost all are stories of a woman. Most of the stories are set in New York City, a place that is made for magic and the unexpected. Each story truly is a fable that will give the reader a glimpse into the private lives and thoughts of others and will awaken the quirks and misgivings we all have. Have you ever felt the urge to take something small from someone’s home as you are visiting? Read “An Impromptu Visit”.
Lynne Sharon Schwartz is a distinguished and acclaimed writer and is the author of twenty-three books. She has taught in many universities and writing programs. This collection of her stories showed me that a writer can be literary and stretch the boundaries of her thoughts, while still giving us a good read with some smiles and wry chuckles. I highly recommend this short story collection, one of my favorites.
Thanks to Meryl Moss Median and Delphinium Books for an advance hardback copy. This is my honest review.
The author writes with a straight-forward style, which allows her creative flourish of words and ideas to shine. Many stories begin with an ordinary, everyday occurrence that we all can relate to. But then the story veers off to highlight our foibles, moral dilemmas, desires and weaknesses. My favorite is “The Golden Rule”, which begins, “It started innocently enough. Could Amanda pick up a few groceries- it was raining so hard.” Sounds typical, right? Where will this lead to, you wonder? Most of the joy with these stories is in the journey.
“Near November” is very short, but what a poignant and searing look at 9/11. The shoes that are shown on the eye-catching cover may be from the story “Am I a Thief?”, which is ludicrous and likable.
A story that was published on Angionline in January, 2018 seems like it could have been written this year, 2020. “A Few Days Off” tells of a nameless woman who woke up one morning, decided to stay home from work and ended up remaining in bed for days.
Some of the stories are told in the first person and almost all are stories of a woman. Most of the stories are set in New York City, a place that is made for magic and the unexpected. Each story truly is a fable that will give the reader a glimpse into the private lives and thoughts of others and will awaken the quirks and misgivings we all have. Have you ever felt the urge to take something small from someone’s home as you are visiting? Read “An Impromptu Visit”.
Lynne Sharon Schwartz is a distinguished and acclaimed writer and is the author of twenty-three books. She has taught in many universities and writing programs. This collection of her stories showed me that a writer can be literary and stretch the boundaries of her thoughts, while still giving us a good read with some smiles and wry chuckles. I highly recommend this short story collection, one of my favorites.
Thanks to Meryl Moss Median and Delphinium Books for an advance hardback copy. This is my honest review.
October 6, 2020
I love a good collection of short stories! This book didn't disappoint either.
Each story felt relatable. Especially A Lapse Of Memory. As we get older, it's so easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget about our parents. Time goes faster the older we get. Days can turn into weeks before you know it. It's even faster for our parents, but it's hard for us to realize that. This story hit home for me, although I text my mom every morning. Every single day withought fail. Having lost my dad, this lesson of parental love and comfort stays with me. Now I don't forget my mom, but I suffered loss to learn.
I also really connected with A Few More Days. Being bipolar, I've had my share of days where I became introverted and reclusive. This story hit home with me as I felt each sentence.
What more can I say?! Read this book if you like stories that feel real.
Each story felt relatable. Especially A Lapse Of Memory. As we get older, it's so easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget about our parents. Time goes faster the older we get. Days can turn into weeks before you know it. It's even faster for our parents, but it's hard for us to realize that. This story hit home for me, although I text my mom every morning. Every single day withought fail. Having lost my dad, this lesson of parental love and comfort stays with me. Now I don't forget my mom, but I suffered loss to learn.
I also really connected with A Few More Days. Being bipolar, I've had my share of days where I became introverted and reclusive. This story hit home with me as I felt each sentence.
What more can I say?! Read this book if you like stories that feel real.
October 11, 2020
Truthtelling, Lynne Sharon Schwartz, author.
Having read this author previously, I anticipated enjoying the book, and I was not disappointed. Wasting few words, each story gets to the point and presents the reader with something to think about. Even the most serious of topics contains a light hand, with occasional levity, a technique I believe the author has mastered. As a reader, I looked forward to reading each one. They all inspired me to think about human nature, the world today and the world to come.
I did not rush through this book because I enjoyed reading a few stories at a time and savored them, while thinking about what point the author meant to make. Sometimes the point eluded me, sometimes, I thought I disagreed with the point made, and at other times, a light bulb went off in my head and awakened a memory of a moment in my own life. Each of the characters was unique and identifiable, but a combination of all made a complete study of a human being's approach to the whole totality of life.
Filled with emotional appeal, the stories confront ordinary people, exposing their ordinary experiences and their ordinary dilemmas. The dreams and nightmares of these everyday characters, plucked from the streets of “everyman’s” community, are explored deftly by the author. Their simple daily lives and thoughts come to life. Their approach is simplistic and symbolic of the often flawed reasoning of human beings to justify their actions.
The stories deal with a variety of subjects such as: ambition, marriage, parenting, conflicts, history, climate, the future, heartache, work, and occasionally even joy. The message is indirect as everyday life with its small details, is laid bare and scrutinized, with all the warts and foibles of humans marching across the page. What do we do when we encounter a stranger, how do we react to perceived danger, how do we cope with loneliness, how do we deal with the death of a loved one, how do we deal with a recalcitrant child, how do we deal with danger for ourselves and others, how do we repay a stranger's kindness, how do we avoid judgment and responsibility in our own lives? Do we rise to the occasion and do the honorable thing or behave shamefully? Do we always choose the easy way out and escape into a cocoon of safety? Why do we lie when faced with troubling questions? These stories raised these and many other questions for me to ponder, which is why I so enjoyed each one. They were written simply, but they were not mindless. Each short story will encourage the reader to grow and reflect on their own behavior, on their own cynicism and its opposite, optimism.
The stories are never heavy-handed. The interjection of a light touch of mockery and/or humor, here and there, provides them with appeal as each imperfect human being finds ways to explain away, and live with, their own flaws of character. The stories deal subtly with life in all of its costumes: current day political issues, mental illness, annoying neighbors, historic tragedies, etc. As each unique character comes to life, the reader bears witness to their individual approaches to the demands that face them. One character is suddenly burnt out and takes to her bed, neglecting all the things she had found important in her life and finds a new perspective. Another character wonders if he should speak to a stranger. One discovers her preference for a certain food, while another deals with her response to a kind stranger's helping hand. The reader begins to think about how choices are made. Do we sometimes make decisions by actually not making a decision, letting so much time go by that a decision is no longer necessary or possible?
The author examines the idea of honesty and honor in each story, using unique examples to highlight the way our approach to truth influences our decisions, our relationships, our jobs, our interactions with strangers and our own conscience efforts to live our lives without too much chaos. Are we capable of duplicity, betrayal, heroism, kindness? We many not have answers at the end, but we certainly will have given it thought.
Having read this author previously, I anticipated enjoying the book, and I was not disappointed. Wasting few words, each story gets to the point and presents the reader with something to think about. Even the most serious of topics contains a light hand, with occasional levity, a technique I believe the author has mastered. As a reader, I looked forward to reading each one. They all inspired me to think about human nature, the world today and the world to come.
I did not rush through this book because I enjoyed reading a few stories at a time and savored them, while thinking about what point the author meant to make. Sometimes the point eluded me, sometimes, I thought I disagreed with the point made, and at other times, a light bulb went off in my head and awakened a memory of a moment in my own life. Each of the characters was unique and identifiable, but a combination of all made a complete study of a human being's approach to the whole totality of life.
Filled with emotional appeal, the stories confront ordinary people, exposing their ordinary experiences and their ordinary dilemmas. The dreams and nightmares of these everyday characters, plucked from the streets of “everyman’s” community, are explored deftly by the author. Their simple daily lives and thoughts come to life. Their approach is simplistic and symbolic of the often flawed reasoning of human beings to justify their actions.
The stories deal with a variety of subjects such as: ambition, marriage, parenting, conflicts, history, climate, the future, heartache, work, and occasionally even joy. The message is indirect as everyday life with its small details, is laid bare and scrutinized, with all the warts and foibles of humans marching across the page. What do we do when we encounter a stranger, how do we react to perceived danger, how do we cope with loneliness, how do we deal with the death of a loved one, how do we deal with a recalcitrant child, how do we deal with danger for ourselves and others, how do we repay a stranger's kindness, how do we avoid judgment and responsibility in our own lives? Do we rise to the occasion and do the honorable thing or behave shamefully? Do we always choose the easy way out and escape into a cocoon of safety? Why do we lie when faced with troubling questions? These stories raised these and many other questions for me to ponder, which is why I so enjoyed each one. They were written simply, but they were not mindless. Each short story will encourage the reader to grow and reflect on their own behavior, on their own cynicism and its opposite, optimism.
The stories are never heavy-handed. The interjection of a light touch of mockery and/or humor, here and there, provides them with appeal as each imperfect human being finds ways to explain away, and live with, their own flaws of character. The stories deal subtly with life in all of its costumes: current day political issues, mental illness, annoying neighbors, historic tragedies, etc. As each unique character comes to life, the reader bears witness to their individual approaches to the demands that face them. One character is suddenly burnt out and takes to her bed, neglecting all the things she had found important in her life and finds a new perspective. Another character wonders if he should speak to a stranger. One discovers her preference for a certain food, while another deals with her response to a kind stranger's helping hand. The reader begins to think about how choices are made. Do we sometimes make decisions by actually not making a decision, letting so much time go by that a decision is no longer necessary or possible?
The author examines the idea of honesty and honor in each story, using unique examples to highlight the way our approach to truth influences our decisions, our relationships, our jobs, our interactions with strangers and our own conscience efforts to live our lives without too much chaos. Are we capable of duplicity, betrayal, heroism, kindness? We many not have answers at the end, but we certainly will have given it thought.
October 11, 2020
Lynne Sharon Schwartz's recent collection of short stories in Truthtelling embodies the wit, wisdom, and unique style of storytelling often shared by sages of old wishing to present food for thought to younger generations. Twenty-five stories, hewn of typically New York characters and settings, present humorous, serious, and sometimes fantastically simple fabric-of-life glimpses into what it means to be human in our modern world.
Subtitled Stories, Fables, and Glimpses, a reader may find subtle morals tucked here and there. In "The Middle Child," a mother is confused by a child who continuously hangs out with her own two children, only to realize that this child is hers as well—her middle child, adopted a few years earlier. The comedy of the story is suddenly cut short at the end with a statement by the child hugging her now enlightened mother: "I've been waiting for you for so long..."
In "Breaking Up," we hear an enraged female phone caller bellowing into the phone, "And don't try to talk me out of it. It's over. I'm breaking up with you." The concerned receiver of the call, stating that the caller clearly has the wrong number, repeats this and eventually hangs up the phone. She can't shake wondering what it was all about. Perhaps "...she wanted to be talked out of it, in one of those protracted and agonizing dialogues that after close analysis of recent behavior would end in a reconciliation, each one promising to do better in the future." For days the receiver of the call is plagued by wonderings—even to the point of considering the possibility that someone might actually be trying to break up with her!
Masterfully written, endearingly told, these short stories are a joy to read, realistic endings, surprise twists, and all. A short story a day will keep a reader longing to hear more.
This book was reviewed for Story Circle Book Reviews by Shawn LaTorre.
Subtitled Stories, Fables, and Glimpses, a reader may find subtle morals tucked here and there. In "The Middle Child," a mother is confused by a child who continuously hangs out with her own two children, only to realize that this child is hers as well—her middle child, adopted a few years earlier. The comedy of the story is suddenly cut short at the end with a statement by the child hugging her now enlightened mother: "I've been waiting for you for so long..."
In "Breaking Up," we hear an enraged female phone caller bellowing into the phone, "And don't try to talk me out of it. It's over. I'm breaking up with you." The concerned receiver of the call, stating that the caller clearly has the wrong number, repeats this and eventually hangs up the phone. She can't shake wondering what it was all about. Perhaps "...she wanted to be talked out of it, in one of those protracted and agonizing dialogues that after close analysis of recent behavior would end in a reconciliation, each one promising to do better in the future." For days the receiver of the call is plagued by wonderings—even to the point of considering the possibility that someone might actually be trying to break up with her!
Masterfully written, endearingly told, these short stories are a joy to read, realistic endings, surprise twists, and all. A short story a day will keep a reader longing to hear more.
This book was reviewed for Story Circle Book Reviews by Shawn LaTorre.
August 21, 2020
Do not miss this masterful collection of stories and insights into the daily lives of people confronted with their own problems and dreams. Some of these characters will come across as self-absorbed but they will still provoke compassion and a desire to understand them. The best part of these stories is that often the characters makes a decision that is not in their best interest – but yields unexpected results. In “The Pickup, “ a young woman makes a rash decision to get in a car awaiting someone else. In “The Strong One,” a couple copes with the illness of an adult daughter while trying not to let down each other. In the “Middle Child,” a woman coming out of deep depression, discovers a life she can now embrace. In “An Impromptu Visit, “a woman and her daughter, who have auto problems, take refuge from a storm. Once greeted by the gracious homeowner, the woman makes a small rash decision, which echoes in her psyche. “The Tree of Porphyry” tells the story of decision making as if viewed from within a kaleidoscope of choices. In “Faux Me,” a woman considers the choices she never could have made….and where they could take her. In “Am I a Thief”, a woman attending a movie leaves with an unexpected souvenir and ideas for justification. Anyone of these stories could be my favorites, and if I read the collection again, I would surely highlight other ones. This book is a great way to escape into other lives that could almost be yours – if the conditions were right. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this copy to review. Loved it!
October 29, 2020
When I received a copy of this book, the author was new to me, but I’m always open to checking out new work. Sometimes, I’ll admit there are disappointing books, but this was not one of them. This collection of short stories takes life and looks at it from new and refreshing perspectives. A lot of them were told in first person which made it even easier to get inside the minds of the MC’s and really dissect their/our world.
The moods in each story vary dramatically. There were some that were sad, some deeply thought-provoking, and others yet that were refreshing funny. This constant mix of feelings gave me a bit of suspense when reading. The good kind where I wonder what will come next because I’m genuinely excited to see.
I read so many books a year that I admit sometimes it’s hard to really find a work that I connect to and enjoy one hundred percent. I’m so happy to have gotten the chance to read this one because it reminded me what is exactly enjoyable about curling up with a good book.
This is a collection that I won’t forget about anytime soon.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
The moods in each story vary dramatically. There were some that were sad, some deeply thought-provoking, and others yet that were refreshing funny. This constant mix of feelings gave me a bit of suspense when reading. The good kind where I wonder what will come next because I’m genuinely excited to see.
I read so many books a year that I admit sometimes it’s hard to really find a work that I connect to and enjoy one hundred percent. I’m so happy to have gotten the chance to read this one because it reminded me what is exactly enjoyable about curling up with a good book.
This is a collection that I won’t forget about anytime soon.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
October 2, 2020
Full review available on my blog.
I was excited to tackle a short story collection for a change instead of the longer narratives I usually gravitate towards. Naturally, with 25 short stories, there are going to be some that simply are not as engaging as others. For me, there are maybe only four or five of them that stood out, while the others sort of blend in with each other. Some of them were lacking in plot, while others were lacking in resolutions. The stories seemed to simply end, almost with the understanding that the character's lives will continue on as before, and what the reader saw was one snapshot of a less than ordinary circumstance. Fortunately, the standouts really stood out, such as "Career Choice," "Near November," and "Fragment Discovered in a Charred Steel Box." For those that enjoy Schwartz's work, this collection will probably be enjoyable enough, and it is an interesting overall look at society in general through the eyes of a few peculiar people.
I was excited to tackle a short story collection for a change instead of the longer narratives I usually gravitate towards. Naturally, with 25 short stories, there are going to be some that simply are not as engaging as others. For me, there are maybe only four or five of them that stood out, while the others sort of blend in with each other. Some of them were lacking in plot, while others were lacking in resolutions. The stories seemed to simply end, almost with the understanding that the character's lives will continue on as before, and what the reader saw was one snapshot of a less than ordinary circumstance. Fortunately, the standouts really stood out, such as "Career Choice," "Near November," and "Fragment Discovered in a Charred Steel Box." For those that enjoy Schwartz's work, this collection will probably be enjoyable enough, and it is an interesting overall look at society in general through the eyes of a few peculiar people.
October 23, 2020
I devoured Truthtelling. Reading it was like taking a private, intimate voyage through Schwartz’s imagination—a rich, free, wholly unique imagination that carries us from the profoundly poignant “Near November” to the surreal “Pickup.” No wonder Kirkus dubbed it “perfect” and each story “a treasure.” Publisher’s Weekly used the word “treasure” too, but in their case to describe Schwartz herself—an “American literary treasure,” in their words. I found the book an enchanting, kaleidoscopic pleasure from first page to last. Highly recommended.
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October 7, 2020Schwartz moves effortlessly between realism and fantasy. Her characters are not so quirky as the things that happen to them, and her introspective writing lets the reader know exactly what they are feeling. Her writing is clear, with lovely turns of phrase worthy of the highlighter.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/10/06/lynne...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/10/06/lynne...
October 18, 2020
Fantastically crafted. A story-telling for the modern age, the author spins tales of human interaction that display subtext we often aren't given witness to in many other stories. The rich interaction between characters do not always come off as real in the sense that what we hear is every day speech, but the elaboration of every day events, peeking behind the curtain, is incredibly entertaining. I would recommend for those wanting to read out of pure interest.
December 4, 2023
This writer has a long list of previously published books, but this is the first of hers I have read. What a joy to devour these stories, nearly all of them rich with creative ideas and feelings, but not soggy or overwrought. When you think of "Creative Literary Writing" thing of Lynne Sharon Schwartz, who is at the peak of this style. What a satisfying "meal" this was!
February 7, 2025
In Truthtelling, Schwartz offers compelling stories of unflinching candor, ultimately helping readers feel less alone with their shortcomings.
-Erin Lyndal Martin
Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
-Erin Lyndal Martin
Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
July 7, 2020
I absolutely love short stories. And this did not disappoint. Usually they can leave a lot to be desired or can appear rushed. This did not at all. I could not put it down. My favorite was the stranger letting the mom and daughter into the house. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 6, 2020
I read more novels than I do short story collections. There is something about sinking into a book and following its characters through time that appeals to me. Yet, a great short story is a masterwork of art in that a few pages can leave me as satisfied as a 400-page novel. If an author can distill the essence of those hundreds of pages into three, five, 10 or 15 pages, it feels like magic. And magic describes the two short story collections featured in this article: Michael Oren’s “The Night Archer and Other Stories” (Wicked Son/Post Hill Press) and “Truthtelling: Stories, Fables, Glimpses” by Lynne Sharon Schwartz (Delphinium Books).
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...
January 22, 2021
There are some stories that I feel fascinated with it, but some probably not my intellectual level to understand. Maybe I'm not the intended audience, but I do believe there are some readers will like the bizarreness and sophistication of the stories. Besides, when I was reading this book, the content is still in a ROUGH DRAFT. I don't think it's fair that my personal review should take into account.
Thanks to NetGalley and Meryl Moss Media for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Review: Truthtelling by Lynne Sharon Schwartz.
Thanks to NetGalley and Meryl Moss Media for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Review: Truthtelling by Lynne Sharon Schwartz.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews