Not Where I Started From: A Short Story Anthology of Cross-Cultural Love, Humor, and Unexpected Danger

by Kate Wheeler

Kate Wheeler's stories feature peripatetic Americans who seek love or enlightenment - or both - in far-flung corners of the globe. A startling mixture of gentle irony, mischievous humor, and unexpected danger marks the paths of all these characters as they follow their circuitous routes toward happiness. As the New York Times said, "Wheeler has a capacity for compressing the insights of cross-cultural dislocation into deliciously memorable epiphanies."

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 1993

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of the 10 stories in this collection, I think about 4 of them are terrific. The others have their moments, but the middle 4 stories: "Mr. Peanut," "La Victoire," "Urbino," and "Judgment" stood out. Wheeler's prose, at its best, is funny, aggressive and unique. When the stories fail, it's because of the absence of a central tension, not because of the writing. I read this with my fiction students; it was a great book to learn from.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

a few strong stories.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this collectoon of stories. So much wisdom and insight into a variety of cultural histories and human issues.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am predisposed to love this book. The author's writing is amazing, and although some of the stories are traumatic, I was eager to start each new one.

[Athena Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit I have been reading more collections of short stories than I am accustomed, to, and its not always my favorite genre of writing to read. That said, I don't think this is why I wasn't very impressed with Kate Wheller's collection of stories in Not Where I Started From.


Based on her short personal bio on the back cover flap, that she was born in Oklahoma, raised in South America, and has extensively traveled in Europe, Australia, and Asia, and that she is an ex-Buddhist nun, I was sort of anticipating the international perspective of the stories. For example, the opening story Improving My Average is about a young girl who has lived in numerous countries and cities in her short childhood, while the last story, Ringworm, follows a young woman in a Buddhist convent in Burma. But I felt that despite her characters' vast traveling experience, they were stunted and incomplete people, lost in the world and looking for a tripe sense of connection - and I couldn't help but assume that it was Kate Wheeler and not her characters that I disliked.


I was also vaguely annoyed by the several stories that contained the plot "American goes to Asia to study Buddhism and be enlightened." Which after the third time became even more cliche than you would expect. Another pet peeve was the dearth of healthy sexual relationships - which perhaps compounded my distaste for the stories. It seemed like none of her main characters has a positive sexual encounter, and some are truly abusive. They were just unplesant and unenlightening to read.

[Sher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exotic settings. Wheeler is good at inserting quirky moments into her short stories. I found the moment more memorable than the overall tale. The same goes with her characters--for me I remember aspects of the characters instead of their overall story. This is partly why I gave this collection a two rating. The other reason is the subject matter of the stories just didn't interest me all that much only parts of each story captivated or interested me.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

american girl tries to fix everything for the poor family in south america... and messes it all up.

devotees of the buddhist master slowly come to realize that they're being abused.

world traveller, advanced buddhist, Ms. Wheeler is quite something. she sinks in deep.

[Louann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good. They were all short stories so it was an easy read. KW is a great story teller. She is able to help you form mental images without beating you over the head with it. There were some laugh out loud parts. Overall, a good way to spend a few days.

[Nathalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is really good at describing moments, but the stories often left me feeling hanging, as if they simply trailed off rather than leaving the reader with some sort of conclusion. Overall, an enjoyable read but didn't leave much of an impression on me.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this collection were incredibly valuable to me, arousing the desire to travel, recalibrating my moral compass towards the just or else to a kind of knowingness that is deeply moral, and satisfying my curiosity.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best short story collection I've ever read. Sparse, poetic prose, moves quickly & seamlessly. Graceful. I finished it and wished I could start it all over again for the first time.

[Karl Nehring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating collection of stories. Locales are exotic, but the motives and actions of the characters are believable and revealing.