Less Shiny

by Mary Miller

A collection of short short stories from the author of Big World (short flight/long drive books 2009). Mary Miller's stories have appeared in the Oxford American, New Stories from the South 2008, Mississippi Review, Black Clock, Quick Fiction, Barrelhouse, Hobart, and elsewhere.

5 x 7.5
Saddlestitched
36 pg
First Printing: November 2008, 75 numbered copies
Second Printing: February 2010

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

36 pages, chapbook

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Biloxi, Always Happy Hour, The Last Days of California, Big World

Stories in Paris Review, McSweeney's Quarterly, American Short Fiction, New Stories from the South, Oxford American, Mid-American Review, Ninth Letter, Indiana Review, and Mississippi Review.

Nonfiction in the NYTBR, American Book Review, The Rumpus, and The Writer.

Reviews

[Nik Korpon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Miller should be our president. The country would be a more somber, but determined and hopeful place with beauty lurking in the shadows.

[Tyler Crumrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Miller's stories are short and satisfying. There's a "What, already?" moment after finishing each and a "Nope. Yup. That's right." realization that follows shortly after. They're vulnerable, but it's a responsible vulnerability. The kind that invites you in only so far before pulling its dog away. Beautifully crafted and nothing if not concise, they're well suited to a chapbook format. A great introduction, and I seriously look forward to picking up her larger collection soon.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Miller is a genius and these stories are pure gold. Loved seeing them put together here in chapbook form. Can't wait to get my hands on her full length short story collection.

[Vincent Scarpa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic from the first story to the last, the final story being my favorite. Mary Miller is brilliant.

[Bryan Coffelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in Mary Miller's Less Shiny remind me how I want to write. They do what a good short story should do: capture a chunk of time. But they do it in a way that is not "systematic" or "contrived."

To me, not all moments have a definable "beginning" and "end" -- there should be a different way to describe them. Mary Miller's stories make me think that she's hyperaware of a moment's "third dimension" or something.

[Jason Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miller's voice is unique, which makes Less Shiny a fun chapbook to read. Most of the plots weren't compelling enough for my tastes, and only some of the characters and narrators are likeable, but this does gear me up for Big World.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something really great and precise about Mary Miller's work. Maybe it's the fact that most of her characters seem a little troubled or fucked up. I feel lucky to have one of these as it's a limited run. Still, everyone should seek out her book from Hobart.