The Man with Eight Pairs of Legs

by Leslie Kirk Campbell

A Man with Eight Pairs of Legs is about the ways our bodies are marked by memory, often literally, and the risky decisions we make when pushed to the extreme. Winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, this collection of short stories is a study in compassion and in passion, a must-read for our times.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

215 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2022

Reviews

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book! There was something both unexpected and soothing about the breadth of what is covered within each of these moving stories. They are beautifully crafted tales, rich in poetic language - something both classic and timely about each one.

Whether it’s the uniquely told tale of love and amputation in the title story The Man with Eight Pairs of Legs, the concisely beautiful narrative of forbidden love and salvation in The Hermit’s Tattoo or a sizzling page turner like Overture (you know it’s good when you’re hoping to wait in line just a little bit longer at the DMV so you can find out what happens next!) - Leslie Kirk Campbell seems to have a knack for exposing those parts of us humans as we love, ache, relate and manage the world we live in- all with a lyrically poetic and hip sensibility.

Highly recommend this gorgeous collection of stories!

[Malia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the best thing I’ve ever read. Each story captures such specific feelings that I didn’t realize existed until she described them? It was also a very hard read at some points, but I felt like I owed it to the characters to keep reading even though I was uncomfortable. I am so so so blown away by what this writing and creativity is able to achieve 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[Tanya Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection! Leslie Kirk Campbell's stories are layered and complex. Her characters grapple with wounds both individual and collective. They carry the weight both their personal stories and their family histories. But though there is a lot of pain here, there is also a lot of hope. In language that is often gorgeous and poetic, Kirk Campbell shows us humans trying to connect with each other, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding in unexpected ways. Thumbs up!

[Sidik Fofana · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIX WORD REVIEW: Unafraid to bounce deftly around globe.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing collection of short stories. They are all different with unique plots and characters. Each reader will have a favorite. Mine is probably not the best, but when I read "City of Angels," I felt I was reading the true story of a day at the beach from my adolescence. My four years younger sister would probably feel the same way about the day. In the 1960s, high schoolers too young to work or drive took the bus to the beach. Each school claimed its own spot somewhere at Venice or Santa Monica, near a hot dog on a stick stand. The mention of the stand was enough to transport me to that beach. Wanting to be popular and knowing that the closer you got to the water was ironically a sign that you weren't was a reality that seemed part of the story. Wanting and wanting to want were themes for us then. We were aware of religious differences and hoped that we would want someone of the right religion. Politics, racial violence, and even crime were not issues that concerned us. When I admitted my favorite story was not the best, what I meant was that the other stories dealt with tougher, more serious issues like philosophy, AIDS, and adultery. This is not a happy book, but is certainly one of the most creative, interesting and thought-provoking ones I read this year.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. I am old enough to remember when short stories went out of fashion for awhile, partly because magazines no longer featured then and for other reasons too. The resurgence of the craft is most welcome and this collection is a great example of classic form. As in any collection, some are better than others, but a few of these are prose at its finest.

[Travelmaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thankful to have won this via a GoodReads giveaway. These stories captivated me! Each one hit my soul differently. I lost all track of time and space and everything as I fell into them. The people - the stories - each one is a little miracle. I can't wait to read more by this author. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would.

[Katie Avalos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gets the distinction of being the first autographed copy I've won from Goodreads that I actually finished! It was so good I did not want to put it down! Each story is fascinating and completely unique, all of the characters feel real and come from such varied backgrounds, and each story left me wanting to check back in with the characters 10 years later to see how things worked out.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s variety to these stories—each is distinct in subject matter and tone. I note a few through lines, though: the distance between people, the scars of past trauma, perhaps a critique of suburban domesticity. Well done, all of them, I thought.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a short story reader, but this was a really good collection. Each story is unique and thought provoking and would be great for book club discussions. I was particularly taken with the story The Overture, dealing with domestic abuse but with a great twist at the end.

[NancyMc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories were a “5” in 🌟’s but I lost interest in others. So overall 3🌟

[Ethel Rohan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the most visceral, impactful, and original stories I've read. The imagery throughout the collection is stunning.

[Becky Osmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good short story collection filled with unique characters

[Eileen Daly-Boas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this collection are amazing, including the title story. It’s worth driving into-she’s got a great style.

[Mary Nee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing collection of short stories, that are very moving!

[Alex Silberstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are delicious! Leslie Kirk Campbell's lyrical use of language brings these marvelous stories to life with a breathtaking vividness. Her characters navigate fraught situations, laying bare physical and emotional wounds. These beautifully crafted tales are rich, moving, and a delight to read.

[C.M. Stenquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating collection of stories that I enjyed and was moved by