A Model World and Other Stories

When I saw that this author had won some very high profile prizes, I was looking forward very much to this collection of short stories. Halfway through I got the feeling that some of his stories were actually moralistic; as if the writer was member of a strong, overwhelming religion. I expected much, much more from this author and was disappointed.

A collection of seven short stories concluding with a one longer story mostly centred on younger people. They include a story about a student about to plagiarise, with his friend's knowledge, an existing published work to submit as his own thesis, and two close friend who share everything except their girlfriends, that is until when one is dumped by his girl. The final story follows Nathan Shapiro from the age of ten, just before his parents divorce, to the age of sixteen and his burgeoning adolescence and sexual awareness, a story that truly touches the heart What is evident in each of these stories is Chabon's ability, with minimal physical description, to create fully fledged characters one can empathise with. Moreover, from the very first lines one is aware that Miachael Cahbon is no ordinary writer, his command of language and and the written word results in prose of supreme and unpretentious eloquence, stories full of compassion, it is simple a joy to read.

I was shocked that some reviewers do not idolize this collection but then Melville and James are always hated by the majority of readers who are honest. Here I find the rejection even harder to bear since Chabon's prose is so intent on being joyful at the semantic and syntactic levels. He is a word dandy (like Stevens) who enjoys not just the mot juste, but the play and excitement of expression. These qualities alone would make him exceptional in world where the minimalism of paucity is mistaken for existential restraint. However he has as great a grasp of the lexicon of social expression as he does of word wealth. He is a fabulous observer and is able to register and decode more nuance in a paragraph than most in a book. The "action" then is not in the physical space but in the constant adjustments and misdirections of inter-personal association. At this, Chabon is more talented than any and all.

Sometimes I read reviews of records, etc. where the reviewer states, before anything else, that they shouldn't be reviewing the record, etc. because they're too close to it. I try to avoid writing anything about the records, books, etc. that I really love, since I can't be objective.This is probably my favorite collection of short stories. My copy has been following me around since it came out and I have read and re-read every line of this thing many, many times. The Nathan Shapiro stories are so carefully written; each sentence seems constructed, each word perfectly placed. These stories are too accurate, too true to be sentimental. Art. This stuff is art.I have a difficult time believing that everyone doesn't already have a copy of this. I'd recommend this collection to anyone, escpecially those who are familiar with Ethan Canin, Thom Jones (although Jones may seem a little "tougher"), and (maybe) late Richard Ford. The modern sentence as art.Objective? No. Not at all.

Chabon is amazing. His metaphors are more than literal - they give yout the ability to conjure up thoughts and ideas you didn't know you had. Impossible to put down, I give this book 5+ stars.

When I first came across this book in it's initial paperback printing, I was excited by his blend of outrageous humor and insightful prose. Especially hilarious is the story about two friends, one of whom plays with things for a living. He looks for the "intrinsic ludic value" of ordinary household items, or rather, would they make good toys. He had one relationship end because of the natural similarities between the shape of a flying saucer and the shape of a birth control pill dispenser. On a whole, it reminded me of Raymond Carver but without the suicidal tendencies. More mature (but not as funny) as his wonderful first novel _The Mysteries of Pittsburgh_, I am looking forward to his next volume of short fiction as it seems to me that the short story is his true gift.