Calamity and Other Stories

It seems to me that the majority of short story collections are either by authors who are established, cashing in on their fame, or unknown authors trying to establish themselves, with hopes of someday cashing in on their fame. The former type of authors tends to have collections that appeal to their fan base. The latter type of author is trying to do two things, create a fan base (buzz) and flex their literary mussels (prepare for their first novel). Premiere writer Daphne Kalotay's first book of short stories, I think, does both. "Calamity and Other Stories" at first seems like a collection of separate shorts. We are first introduced to Rhea and Callie, two ten year girls who, together, begin to see the subtle confusing complexities of adult life. In the third story, we're introduced to Geoff, a preteen who's forced to face, head on, those complexities. In the forth story we meet Geoff's friend, Mack. By the sixth story I finally caught on, this is not so much a book of short stories as it is a fragmented novel. We follow the lives of Rhea, Mack, Geoff, Callie, plus a few others as we jump from story to story. The final chapter takes us to a wedding where the central characters all congregate in celebration. This last story caps the book nicely and even offers us a tiny sense of closure. Unto themselves most of these stories seem to lack direction and conclusion, together however they cement each other and offer us a candid look at an extended family over the course of 20+ years.

I nearly missed a brunch date thanks to Daphne Kalotay's CALAMITY--a book I found impossible to put down. The stories weave together beautifully, and the humor and thoughtful observations in each of the twelve stories brings a sparkle that makes the situations (even ones concerning solitude or breakups) magical. In "Serenade," one of my favorites, we see a kiss through the eyes of ten-year-old Rhea. Rhea appears again as an adult in "The Man from Allston Electric" (another one of my favorites) only this time an electrical outlet demands attention. Though these situations may appear commonplace--at least as I've so briefly described them--the richness of the described moments jumps off the pages. I was completely captivated, and only sorry when the collection came to a close. Even as I write this, I'm thinking about the characters and wishing I knew what they were up to right now. Lovely writing, great all around. I'm looking forward to reading more of Kalotay's work!

A time of pure love seen through the eyes of others, the tragic loss of someone who has yet to experience life, the comprehension of some shameful deceit, promptly forgotten but seared on the soul, spontaneous laughter between strangers who will never become friends. Every life has its small moments, when the world opens wide for a split second and allows us to see inside. From childhood through adulthood, these sudden realizations strike and we save them, adding to a growing stock of understanding. These stories are about those introspective moments, the things that mostly pass unnoticed, until the psyche cracks open and lets in the light. In Calamity and Other Stories, Kalotay chronicles these insights, capturing the essential good intentions of humanity in the mundane activities we endure each day. These are often times of instant epiphany, registering the larger meanings behind tedium and obligation, the resplendent opportunities to understand others. The title story, Calamity, perfectly captures the spirit of the collection, an encounter with the quixotic nature of fate that awaits the willing, touching gently on the vagaries of the human condition. The sometimes recurring characters are often disappointed in life, a bit shocked at how wrong things can go, yet inherently hopeful. In fact, the simplicity of the prose and the themes of the short stories speak to this disappointment tempered with a vague optimism for the future. The randomness of everyday actions, the possibilities that lurk just around the corner and the subtle nuances of adaptability offer a sense of stability to these small, precise tales. Luan Gaines/2005.