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Droll Tales
In fourteen witty, surreal, and wildly original interrelated stories, Iris Smyles joyfully interrogates the paradoxes of life and language and gives us a new view of our world.
Welcome to the world of Droll Tales, in which reality is a mutually agreed-upon illusion, and life is painful, enigmatic, beautiful, and brief. With an oddball cast of characters who reappear in various guises, Smyles gives us a tour of an enchanted, absurd, off-kilter world with its own workings and ways of expression—one that overlaps our own.
A young suburban woman runs away to Europe to become a living statue, Mallarmé is at long last translated into pig Latin, a house full of surrealists compete for love on a reality TV show, a list of fortune cookie messages reveals the inner world of the young man employed to write them, and a story of love and betrayal is told through the sentence diagrams on a fifth grader’s grammar test.
Romantic, dark, and ironic, Droll Tales is a book like none you have read. It is a philosophical vaudeville, a cabinet of curiosities, a puzzle in fourteen pieces, and a tragicomic riddle articulated in Smyles’s singular style, with the mystery of the human heart at its center.
Welcome to the world of Droll Tales, in which reality is a mutually agreed-upon illusion, and life is painful, enigmatic, beautiful, and brief. With an oddball cast of characters who reappear in various guises, Smyles gives us a tour of an enchanted, absurd, off-kilter world with its own workings and ways of expression—one that overlaps our own.
A young suburban woman runs away to Europe to become a living statue, Mallarmé is at long last translated into pig Latin, a house full of surrealists compete for love on a reality TV show, a list of fortune cookie messages reveals the inner world of the young man employed to write them, and a story of love and betrayal is told through the sentence diagrams on a fifth grader’s grammar test.
Romantic, dark, and ironic, Droll Tales is a book like none you have read. It is a philosophical vaudeville, a cabinet of curiosities, a puzzle in fourteen pieces, and a tragicomic riddle articulated in Smyles’s singular style, with the mystery of the human heart at its center.
304 pages, Paperback
Published June 21, 2022
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1695 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 1, 2022
Dear Reader,
“Melancholy is the happiness of being sad,” Victor Hugo wrote, which is, I think, an apt entry to my new book, Droll Tales.
Like the circus marching into town, offering with its spectacle a few hours reprieve from one’s worries, the first promise of this book is to entertain. Droll Tales invites you under its big tent, to laugh, to weep, to hold your breath as you watch its performers leap. Here you will witness the marvelous in the mundane, you will tread a fairground rife with tricksters and pickpockets, and pop into a sideshow of hearts paused mid-beat.
The second aim of this book is to prompt that very particular stir, an exquisite, terrifying awareness—call it joy—that you are alive right now and that this moment is unique and will never be again.
My third intention in these pages is to inspire thinking about the art, literature, history, and science that have made a study of joy, of humanity’s most fundamental paradox—that to live is simultaneously to die, and so loss is not an episode in our lives, but its very fabric. I aim to have you see yourself among the great parade of people rolling through time, making brave strides or mincing parries or dance steps or backflips, blindfolded or eyes wide open, blowing a horn or beating a drum, running from the future or running toward it. Who and where are you in this ecstatic procession? Are you one, or are you all of them?
“All life is sorrowful,” said the Buddha. This idea has found expression among countless philosophers, artists, religions, and myths through the ages. Droll Tales agrees. Yes, life is painful and confusing and absurd but also—this is important—fun, beautiful, and, briefly, ours.
Many thanks in advance for giving Droll Tales a look. I hope that your attention is repaid with pleasure.
Sincerely,
Iris Smyles
“Melancholy is the happiness of being sad,” Victor Hugo wrote, which is, I think, an apt entry to my new book, Droll Tales.
Like the circus marching into town, offering with its spectacle a few hours reprieve from one’s worries, the first promise of this book is to entertain. Droll Tales invites you under its big tent, to laugh, to weep, to hold your breath as you watch its performers leap. Here you will witness the marvelous in the mundane, you will tread a fairground rife with tricksters and pickpockets, and pop into a sideshow of hearts paused mid-beat.
The second aim of this book is to prompt that very particular stir, an exquisite, terrifying awareness—call it joy—that you are alive right now and that this moment is unique and will never be again.
My third intention in these pages is to inspire thinking about the art, literature, history, and science that have made a study of joy, of humanity’s most fundamental paradox—that to live is simultaneously to die, and so loss is not an episode in our lives, but its very fabric. I aim to have you see yourself among the great parade of people rolling through time, making brave strides or mincing parries or dance steps or backflips, blindfolded or eyes wide open, blowing a horn or beating a drum, running from the future or running toward it. Who and where are you in this ecstatic procession? Are you one, or are you all of them?
“All life is sorrowful,” said the Buddha. This idea has found expression among countless philosophers, artists, religions, and myths through the ages. Droll Tales agrees. Yes, life is painful and confusing and absurd but also—this is important—fun, beautiful, and, briefly, ours.
Many thanks in advance for giving Droll Tales a look. I hope that your attention is repaid with pleasure.
Sincerely,
Iris Smyles
June 29, 2022
There's a funny collage on the cover of this book - two Victorian figures with the heads of African (perhaps) masks that look like they're old photos from a museum collection. A juxtaposition of manners and colonialism on a red settee with a background of airplane safety manuals and images of exotic cities. I'm not sure the cover is trying to say anything, but it knocks you off your guard just a little, which may be good preparation for what comes next.
The contents of Droll Tales sway back and forth between little vignettes and exercises (ie., a "Glossary of terms not found in this book" and a poem that I tried to read and skipped until just now when I realize that it's a translation of Stephane Mallarme's 'The Azure"... into pig Latin) and long meandering stories that mostly feature some number of women named Iris Smyles (perhaps the same one at different times, or different ones at the same time) and at least three Jacobs (all different). Most of these Iris'/Jacobs are recently freed grad students in New York City trying to (or putting off trying to) find their feet, except for one Iris who has just transferred from dirigible to Nile cruise ship on the run from her ex, and a Jacob who recently met a piece of granite who tried to sell him his sister/countertop. If you forced me to pare down my word count, then I might say half of these stories would fit very well into The New Yorker, and the other half would play very well in McSweeny's Internet Tendency. And indeed, Smyles has already published in both.
If there was one overarching theme, I think it would have to be (besides Proust) how love and art make us think and feel. Every character is very erudite where appropriate, and very stupid where not. And for the references that go over even our heads, well, the last page advertises the extensive notes and ruminations that can be found on the author's website. Most are very content with the fact that their creator has dropped them into an almost fully surreal world, and though the humor may not have often made me laugh-out-loud often, I certainly felt tickled in that part of me that for a time wished to be as well-read and listless as these students and chefs and the contestants on "Exquisite Bachelor" where, "Twenty Five surrealists and a Texan named Fred," live together in a Hollywood house competing for the love of an aspiring dental hygienist from North Dakota (get ready for the most Dramatic season yet!). The tone is very reminiscent of A Confederacy of Dunces, but I think what I was most reminded of are the novels of Eric Kraft - nearly-autobiographical stories except for all the made up bits, blending into memories and dreams and expressionistic instructions for flat-pack furniture. I have neglected to read up on Smyles previous work, but I get the feeling she plys her trade in similar waters.
Long story short, the opening major story about a woman becoming a human statue blew me away, and I spent the next 80 pages trying to find my footing. But I am glad I did. My only concern now is I can't remember if the final line of the book is referencing something that happened before, or a point completely new. I guess I'll have to come back someday and find out...
I was provided this book by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program. My investment was nothing but time, so I hope you find my opinions honest.
The contents of Droll Tales sway back and forth between little vignettes and exercises (ie., a "Glossary of terms not found in this book" and a poem that I tried to read and skipped until just now when I realize that it's a translation of Stephane Mallarme's 'The Azure"... into pig Latin) and long meandering stories that mostly feature some number of women named Iris Smyles (perhaps the same one at different times, or different ones at the same time) and at least three Jacobs (all different). Most of these Iris'/Jacobs are recently freed grad students in New York City trying to (or putting off trying to) find their feet, except for one Iris who has just transferred from dirigible to Nile cruise ship on the run from her ex, and a Jacob who recently met a piece of granite who tried to sell him his sister/countertop. If you forced me to pare down my word count, then I might say half of these stories would fit very well into The New Yorker, and the other half would play very well in McSweeny's Internet Tendency. And indeed, Smyles has already published in both.
If there was one overarching theme, I think it would have to be (besides Proust) how love and art make us think and feel. Every character is very erudite where appropriate, and very stupid where not. And for the references that go over even our heads, well, the last page advertises the extensive notes and ruminations that can be found on the author's website. Most are very content with the fact that their creator has dropped them into an almost fully surreal world, and though the humor may not have often made me laugh-out-loud often, I certainly felt tickled in that part of me that for a time wished to be as well-read and listless as these students and chefs and the contestants on "Exquisite Bachelor" where, "Twenty Five surrealists and a Texan named Fred," live together in a Hollywood house competing for the love of an aspiring dental hygienist from North Dakota (get ready for the most Dramatic season yet!). The tone is very reminiscent of A Confederacy of Dunces, but I think what I was most reminded of are the novels of Eric Kraft - nearly-autobiographical stories except for all the made up bits, blending into memories and dreams and expressionistic instructions for flat-pack furniture. I have neglected to read up on Smyles previous work, but I get the feeling she plys her trade in similar waters.
Long story short, the opening major story about a woman becoming a human statue blew me away, and I spent the next 80 pages trying to find my footing. But I am glad I did. My only concern now is I can't remember if the final line of the book is referencing something that happened before, or a point completely new. I guess I'll have to come back someday and find out...
I was provided this book by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program. My investment was nothing but time, so I hope you find my opinions honest.
August 5, 2024
I loved it!! It was unlike any other book I’ve read before, which I think is what was so captivating about it. I didn’t really know what was going on half the time, but I also didn’t care or mind because that felt like the way the book is.
July 29, 2022
Proudly weird, unabashedly funny, and unexpectedly emotional.
If you are the kind of person who loves structural games and language play (all with emerging, surprising depth) then you will love the stories told via fortune cookie fortunes or grammar school sentence diagrams or fictitious glossaries or et cetera.
But if that's not your thing, don't let it hold you back! Yes, there's a lot of great post-modern experimental/nontraditional pieces in here, but--like an abstract artist who can also paint photo-quality realism--the more "traditional" stories are some of the best I've read in a modern collection.
Three of those stories I want to highlight:
"Medusa's Garden," early on, is probably the most "normal" short story in the book. It's such a force, though, so well written, you really feel the edge the main character is living on. It's so spot on in terms of its central metaphor that you start questioning your own reading of it. The protagonist is a "living statue" performer for tourists, posing as various works of art rather than comic book characters. I mean... come on! It's such a brilliant premise but also Barthelme-like in its refusal to let you latch on to obvious interpretations.
"Veterans of Future Wars" is hilarious and melancholy and eye-roll-inducing and, also, hilarious. Hard to explain, it's mostly a running conversation between several slightly-drunk party goers and wannabe writers but it's got perfect timing and I laughed out loud many times throughout. Is it the most profound story in the collection? Maybe? I easily confuse humor with profundity so I am a poor judge, but it's brilliant either way.
And then there's "Shelves." Oh, that story. It's--kind of--a workplace satire but then... At first the satire is so over-the-top it leans towards surrealism, it feels like it belongs with the structural play pieces. But the story's payoff is so unexpected and yet also so exact. A final puzzle piece. It teaches every other short story a lesson in perfection of arc. I did not expect to be in tears at the end of this one, but, well.
If you are the kind of person who loves structural games and language play (all with emerging, surprising depth) then you will love the stories told via fortune cookie fortunes or grammar school sentence diagrams or fictitious glossaries or et cetera.
But if that's not your thing, don't let it hold you back! Yes, there's a lot of great post-modern experimental/nontraditional pieces in here, but--like an abstract artist who can also paint photo-quality realism--the more "traditional" stories are some of the best I've read in a modern collection.
Three of those stories I want to highlight:
"Medusa's Garden," early on, is probably the most "normal" short story in the book. It's such a force, though, so well written, you really feel the edge the main character is living on. It's so spot on in terms of its central metaphor that you start questioning your own reading of it. The protagonist is a "living statue" performer for tourists, posing as various works of art rather than comic book characters. I mean... come on! It's such a brilliant premise but also Barthelme-like in its refusal to let you latch on to obvious interpretations.
"Veterans of Future Wars" is hilarious and melancholy and eye-roll-inducing and, also, hilarious. Hard to explain, it's mostly a running conversation between several slightly-drunk party goers and wannabe writers but it's got perfect timing and I laughed out loud many times throughout. Is it the most profound story in the collection? Maybe? I easily confuse humor with profundity so I am a poor judge, but it's brilliant either way.
"Why not expand your mind through mathematics? Any asshole can drop a tab of acid. Rare is the asshole willing to study calculus."
And then there's "Shelves." Oh, that story. It's--kind of--a workplace satire but then... At first the satire is so over-the-top it leans towards surrealism, it feels like it belongs with the structural play pieces. But the story's payoff is so unexpected and yet also so exact. A final puzzle piece. It teaches every other short story a lesson in perfection of arc. I did not expect to be in tears at the end of this one, but, well.
June 22, 2022
It's been quite a bit since I've read anything as original and strange as Iris Smyles's Droll Tales, a loosely connected collection of stories, exercises, and pieces of writing that have a unique point of view. Surrealistic stories following young people in New York City; a ballerina turned stewardess who poses as a living statue in the cities she flies to; a story told through a fifth-grader's sentence diagramming assignment; translations of poems in pig latin. I've been out of grad school for too long to "get" a lot of these stories, but I enjoyed them nonetheless as this book challenged me in ways that most of the books I pick up lately do not.
August 25, 2025
Super funny and absurd. Had a few laugh out loud moments that were basically impossible to explain cleanly to the people around me without them actually reading it.
February 10, 2023
This was a fever dream of story telling. I felt like I was reading a Wes Anderson film in book form. I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction and I honestly was so entranced in the first story I was taken aback when I realized DROLL TALES was stories! I thought I was setting a novel of human statue performers! I have always loved Smyles writing and social media persona so I knew I was in for a treat with this book. Lots of great perspectives and many of the stories have tie ins to others in the most strange ways. Definitely get some Dennis Johnson vibes from this book and while I am probably not literary enough to fully understand all of the book, this is one I will need to go back to. The title is wonderful. Short stories to me can be droll at times and I think that's part of the medium. Nothing ever gets too dark but just dark enough to keep you hinged on a smile or laugh.
Honestly I think my review is coming off a bit stream of conscious now so I'll leave y'all to it.
Go look up Smyles, buy her work and enjoy!
Honestly I think my review is coming off a bit stream of conscious now so I'll leave y'all to it.
Go look up Smyles, buy her work and enjoy!
March 26, 2024
I don’t read books twice, except this one which is the exact squash I expressly left the house looking to buy. I suppose I feel a smidge of guilt at my discomfort with Iris Smyles’ status as a still living writer. It isn’t that I wish her harm and we need more of her writing. But it isn’t seemly to worship an author while she is alive. I’m sure I would have felt the same way about Dorothy Day. Geniuses should be dead.
Iris Smyles is more Gogoly than Gogol. She’s got pockets full of the absurd and acerbic both. She does occasionally use words and express thoughts that are a little awful, but I’m kind of glad her editor didn’t clean her up. A genius, living or dead, is always somewhat problematic.
Iris Smyles is more Gogoly than Gogol. She’s got pockets full of the absurd and acerbic both. She does occasionally use words and express thoughts that are a little awful, but I’m kind of glad her editor didn’t clean her up. A genius, living or dead, is always somewhat problematic.
August 20, 2022
If you are looking to expand your vocabulary this is the book to read. More often than i would care to admit I pulled out google to decipher this text. Still, it was an incredibly enjoyable read. I have read a couple books of short stories and this one is certainly the most original. The characters and situations were nothing if not absurd. Humor was usually based in the absurdity which sometimes missed the mark for me. The blunt or strange alone i did not find funny. Overall, it is a witty and entertaining collection of stories. My favorite was the living state story.
August 27, 2022
Mostly nonsensical vignettes that are more like wordplay than actual stories. Many of them have the off-kilter quality of dreams/nightmares -- hallucinatory, absurd, and entertaining.
I recommend reading this one or two stories at a time. Put it down for a day or two and come back when you are in the mood. It isn't something to rush through like a beach book and too much at one sitting doesn't let the chapters stand out.
I recommend reading this one or two stories at a time. Put it down for a day or two and come back when you are in the mood. It isn't something to rush through like a beach book and too much at one sitting doesn't let the chapters stand out.
July 11, 2022
A motley crew of tales that are darkly romantic, nightmarish, and altogether weird. While easily presented as absurd art pieces, Smyles finds a way to insert her heart in the main themes and keeps the narratives grounded in the human experience.
August 22, 2022
This brilliant book will make you laugh and cry and transport you back to your youth and forward to your old age. Full of longing, existentialism and hilarity,Iris Smyles is a writer like no other- completely original and unique!
October 7, 2022
fantastically ridiculous. a new favorite.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews