Drinking with the Cook

by Laura Furman

Book by Furman, Laura

Genres: Short Stories

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Laura J. Furman (born 1945) is an American author best known for her role as series editor for the O. Henry Awards prize story collection. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Mirabella, Ploughshares, Southwest Review.

She has written three collections of stories (The Glass House, Watch Time Fly, and Drinking with the Cook), two novels (The Shadow Line and Tuxedo Park), and a memoir (Ordinary Paradise).

She founded American Short Fiction, which was a three-time finalist for the National Magazine Award. She is currently Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in writing. Most recently, she has announced that she has submitted a collection of short stories to her agent, and the subsequent collection will be her first new work to follow the release of 2001's Drinking with the Cook.

Reviews

[Tuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Love furman’s title, ‘drinking with the cook’ and that connotation is infused into much of the story collection ranging over lots of parts of usa and Europe and beyond. There are spies, householders, and yes, cooks. This is 1st furman ive seen or read, but she has more ss’s and novels too. this title is from an “obscure” publisher: winedale publishing, though goodreads has a ‘misprint’ of windale (goodreads would never make it in the “real” library world, ha) and perhaps publisher is long gone now? http://winedalebooks.com/ 3.5 stars.

[Amie]

This is written by my first college creative writing teacher at UT. Very good so far, and I can hear her voice explaining why these stories work in my head.

Good enough book, but I got busy with school and it came up due at the library. Will return to it another day I suppose...

[Marguerite Hargreaves · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are occasional gems here -- phrases I wish I'd come up with -- but this is the most depressing thing I've read in a long time, maybe ever.

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories dripping with isolation and loneliness like the morning dew. Don't read if depressed. Or maybe read it and realize how many ways we have to isolate ourselves.