Jennifer’s review of The Stories of John Cheever > Likes and Comments
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So excited to see you reading this, Jennifer! It's a book that should be savored at a leisurely pace.
Great, Violeta, I plan to take it slow. I just finished a book that I think you’d find a balm, if you haven’t read it yet, A Whole Life, by Seethaler. And I’ve been making my way through Magic Mountain ever so slowly. I’ve really adopted your profile quote, 😂. Cheever is very refined. Even in his Cain and Abel story he manages to infuse refinement within the tearing at the seams…. I think I may have just lost my Cheever virginity, Violeta. He must’ve been assigned in school at least once, but so far nothing rings a bell. Do you have particular favorites from this collection?
Jennifer wrote: "Great, Violeta, I plan to take it slow. I just finished a book that I think you’d find a balm, if you haven’t read it yet, A Whole Life, by Seethaler. And I’ve been making my way through Magic Moun..."
Hahaha, I really mean it with that quote, and I think it applies to you too, Jennifer.
You were assigned Cheever in school? I'm impressed and jealous!
He is the epitome of refinement, and if you read about his personal life that was his blessing and also his curse. He was always striving to belong to a world that its surface was lacquered enough to make you want to be part of it, while being fully aware of the tensions and imperfections in its core - and his.
I'm out of town at the moment, so I don't have my Library of America copy handy, but apart from The Swimmer (of course), the stories that come to mind are The Day the Pig Fell Into the Well, The Bella Lingua and The Death of Justina.
But I really enjoyed all of them and I wish you do the same :)
Jennifer, I started this one a few years ago and then got overwhelmed by the sheer number of stories. I will come back to Cheever with selected stories at some time in the future. I'm glad you've enjoyed the two you've posted thus far.
Violeta wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Great, Violeta, I plan to take it slow. I just finished a book that I think you’d find a balm, if you haven’t read it yet, A Whole Life, by Seethaler. And I’ve been making my way t..."
Violeta, your description applies to the first story in this collection for sure—I was even thinking how it operated in much the same way as many Hollywood stories, where beautiful people with enviable lives reveal their flaws and hardships. A classically attractive combination, yet Cheever rivals Hitchcock in what seeps through the cracks. I look forward to reading the ones you mentioned—even better that they came to mind, :).
Lisa wrote: "Jennifer, I started this one a few years ago and then got overwhelmed by the sheer number of stories. I will come back to Cheever with selected stories at some time in the future. I'm glad you've e..."
Lisa, if you didn't make it to The Cure, I highly recommend that one. I've read a few now, and the two I posted are stand outs, but I'm guessing you got to Goodbye, My Brother. Thanks so much for reading everything :D
Now THIS is an investment in time! Earlier this year I read and enjoyed his JOURNALS. Same cover, only in green/blue.
Oh, was it worthwhile, Ken? Was it any fun? No regrets here so far…
Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries.
Ken wrote: "Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries."
Reading just that made me sad, Ken. But he feels like such a refined, deep thinker, I'd imagine his journals to be emotionally rich.
Jennifer wrote: "Ken wrote: "Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries."
Reading just t..."
Yes, some beautiful moments, writing-wise.
Ken wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Ken wrote: "Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries...."
Thanks for the info., I'm interested....
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Violeta
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Nov 10, 2025 03:39PM
So excited to see you reading this, Jennifer! It's a book that should be savored at a leisurely pace.
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Great, Violeta, I plan to take it slow. I just finished a book that I think you’d find a balm, if you haven’t read it yet, A Whole Life, by Seethaler. And I’ve been making my way through Magic Mountain ever so slowly. I’ve really adopted your profile quote, 😂. Cheever is very refined. Even in his Cain and Abel story he manages to infuse refinement within the tearing at the seams…. I think I may have just lost my Cheever virginity, Violeta. He must’ve been assigned in school at least once, but so far nothing rings a bell. Do you have particular favorites from this collection?
Jennifer wrote: "Great, Violeta, I plan to take it slow. I just finished a book that I think you’d find a balm, if you haven’t read it yet, A Whole Life, by Seethaler. And I’ve been making my way through Magic Moun..."Hahaha, I really mean it with that quote, and I think it applies to you too, Jennifer.
You were assigned Cheever in school? I'm impressed and jealous!
He is the epitome of refinement, and if you read about his personal life that was his blessing and also his curse. He was always striving to belong to a world that its surface was lacquered enough to make you want to be part of it, while being fully aware of the tensions and imperfections in its core - and his.
I'm out of town at the moment, so I don't have my Library of America copy handy, but apart from The Swimmer (of course), the stories that come to mind are The Day the Pig Fell Into the Well, The Bella Lingua and The Death of Justina.
But I really enjoyed all of them and I wish you do the same :)
Jennifer, I started this one a few years ago and then got overwhelmed by the sheer number of stories. I will come back to Cheever with selected stories at some time in the future. I'm glad you've enjoyed the two you've posted thus far.
Violeta wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Great, Violeta, I plan to take it slow. I just finished a book that I think you’d find a balm, if you haven’t read it yet, A Whole Life, by Seethaler. And I’ve been making my way t..."Violeta, your description applies to the first story in this collection for sure—I was even thinking how it operated in much the same way as many Hollywood stories, where beautiful people with enviable lives reveal their flaws and hardships. A classically attractive combination, yet Cheever rivals Hitchcock in what seeps through the cracks. I look forward to reading the ones you mentioned—even better that they came to mind, :).
Lisa wrote: "Jennifer, I started this one a few years ago and then got overwhelmed by the sheer number of stories. I will come back to Cheever with selected stories at some time in the future. I'm glad you've e..."Lisa, if you didn't make it to The Cure, I highly recommend that one. I've read a few now, and the two I posted are stand outs, but I'm guessing you got to Goodbye, My Brother. Thanks so much for reading everything :D
Now THIS is an investment in time! Earlier this year I read and enjoyed his JOURNALS. Same cover, only in green/blue.
Oh, was it worthwhile, Ken? Was it any fun? No regrets here so far…
Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries.
Ken wrote: "Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries."Reading just that made me sad, Ken. But he feels like such a refined, deep thinker, I'd imagine his journals to be emotionally rich.
Jennifer wrote: "Ken wrote: "Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries."Reading just t..."
Yes, some beautiful moments, writing-wise.
Ken wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Ken wrote: "Yes, a sad read, actually, because he had an unhappy marriage and was tortured by his own bisexuality and, as was true of any writer, was jealous of his contemporaries...."Thanks for the info., I'm interested....
