How This Night Is Different: Stories

Rarely do I read fiction, let alone "pop-lit". Though a self described avid reader, it has almost always been about the non fiction "I want to know what really happened" books. Until last Thursday, when it only took Elisa's reading the first half of one of her stories in the book, which made me want to shout "Wait!! What do you mean 'you'll stop here'?! I want to hear the rest of the story!" and then buy the book shortly thereafter. And devour it over the weekend. Albert's characters are too real to be dismissed as "fictionary", round and complex to be dubbed as "pop"; her observations too keen and her take too true to be designated "imaginative". Funny, witty, sharp, quirky at times.... Elisa Albert has got IT.

i'm a big fan of albert's work and just have to throw my hat in the ring here to counter some of the misunderstanding with which many seem to be reading her fiction! she is a seductive writer, for on the surface these stories seem to be just clever and funny and fast-paced. but for those interested in a closer read, you'll find a depth of feeling that is rare in contemporary fiction, indeed. albert is certainly a literary descendant of the great jewish/american fiction writers: bellow, roth, malamud, paley, ozick. in her world, jews aren't just "jews" (and women aren't just "women") -- they're actually fully-realized humans, with sometimes-troubled bodies and souls, in very real jewish environs. this, for some reason, upsets some people, just as it upset some people forty-odd years ago when the aforementioned writers had their heyday. but make no mistake: these stories feature some of the most moving portrayals of actual, flawed, struggling human beings in recent memory.

The stories in this book are both funny as well as moving. Her insight into the ambivalence many youg adults may feel toward Jewish traditions is insightful and disturbing at the same time.

These amazing stories will make you smile and laugh out loud and reflect and marvel. You'll be dying to know what Philip Roth thinks of the final tour de force story in the collection. You'll quickly start quoting lines to your friends. In fact, you'll be strongly tempted to share this book with the people closest to you, but you'll decide not to do that because you'll want to keep your copy by your side so you can keep re-reading your favorite passages (of which there will be many). You won't want to part with a voice that is so fresh and alive and funny and wise. Maybe you'll buy the people you love their own copy as a gift, or maybe you'll just tell them to rush out and buy one themselves so you can talk with them about it. In any case, you'll want to spread the gospel/talmud about this incredible debut and you'll be eagerly awaiting Elisa Albert's next book. (P.S. Yes, it's true, I know the author and, yes, if being in love with the author disqualifies the reviewer, then you should disqualify me, but read HOW THIS NIGHT IS DIFFERENT anyhow--you'll be very glad that you did)

Elisa Albert's debut collection of short stories presents a series of sharply observed experiences and interaction, presented in wonderfully crisp prose. She has a fantastic writerly voice (if writerly is even a word) and delivers unique story after unique story. This was a very enjoyable read and I am looking forward to everything she does hereafter.