The Middle of the Night: Stories

by Dan Stolar

A commanding performance of profound emotional resonance, The Middle of the Night examines the crucial moments in people’s struggles to understand the strange paths their lives have a seventy-year-old retired doctor tries to teach his sixteen-year-old son how to drive; a happily married young lawyer attends a high school reunion with the woman he was never bold enough to love; a white freshman pledges a black fraternity. Each of these rich, expansive stories is endowed with an insistent but plain-spoken intelligence, illuminating the drama and mystery at the heart of ordinary life.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing about St. Louis neighborhoods that I drive everyday, Stolar interested me before I even read one word of this collection of short stories. Once inside the book, I was impressed by some of his works. Some seemed repetitive and inconsequential, but "Crossing Over" was one of the best stories I've read this year. "Jack Landers Is My Friend" was also a treat to read. It told a story of the awkwardness of recapturing high school crushes that seems particularly potent for any natives in and around St. Louis for the holidays. "The Trip Home" was another story I enjoyed reading.

[David]

One of my professors at DePaul. Short stories. He's from St. Louis, and many of the stories are set there. I really enjoyed it. Stories about regular people in the modern midwest. He's writing a novel and I'm excited about it.

[Luke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well placed stories all centered around Jews with a relations to the suburbs in St. Louis. Nothing overtly spectacular nor terribly detracting. Most characters seem to have a secret they feel opposed to sharing which torments them and causes strife.

Unremarkable but solid.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two fine stories about St. Louis: "Jack Landers is My Friend" and "Crossing Over." The rest range from okay to atrocious.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i loved this short story collection

[Wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I lived in St. Louis and knew Dan & his family so it was especially interesting to me. Beyond that the stories are quite poignant and worth reading even if you don't know Dan.

[Sacha]

I remember enjoying this, but not enough to rate it.

[Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a big short story fan but I loved this book, all stories based in St. Louis.