Hunger in the First Person Singular: Stories of Desire and Power

There is a hunger in everyone for something...the type and intensity of the hunger just varies from person to person. This book explores many types of hunger and a wide range of feelings experienced, if not readily admitted to, by everyone. When I read this book, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.'Hunger' is mysterious, haunting, and intriguing on many levels...and entertaining too! As I read deeper, into and past the words, I found myself wondering what I would do were I in a particular character's shoes or thinking "Hey! I know how that feels!" It's a journey well worth the taking down an interesting literary trail...though I'm still wondering where the ghost town heroine ends up.....: )

The first time I opened the cover of 'Hunger' I anticipated a "nice interesting little book". Since I had just finished Margaret Atwood's 'The Robber Bride' I did not expect anyone to measure up to Atwood's genius for reaching inside and stirring up the old emotive cauldron. I STAND CORRECTED! After the first dozen pages, I knew I was in for the emotional ride of my life. It seemed as if Ms. Miller had somehow gotten her hands on the journals I kept during my late 20s and 30s. So many times I too had longed to escape. With 'Hunger' I found the perfect hideout in the ghost town. It can be a bit disconcerting facing old foes, but it has certainly been a growing experience. You can escape from everyone but yourself and that is the one spirit you must face up to. I am now on my third reading. 'Hunger' is not a book for the shallow of heart or mind. But anyone willing to step out on that literary tightrope will be richly rewarded.

I felt the writing was almost surgical, folding back layer after layer of ego and emotion to explore the essential self. Her focus is on women's sexuality and self image, but she doesn't shy away from exploring, and honoring, the masculine. Very courageous. The question of, "who am I when no one else is around?" at the center of the title novella is one I'm sure everyone has asked themselves. Miller answers mystery with mystery. The reality in this story seems more flexible than ours; I was thoroughly intrigued. Six short stories continue to address issues of self, sex, and society in the second half of the book. I found the writing so compelling I wanted to read them one after another -- but I also wanted to savor them one at a time. There's so much to enjoy and think about here, it definitely did not leave me hungry.

I read my sister's book Hunger... when she sent me an early copy. I'm always amazed by Michelle's gut-deep grasp of the North American male-female psycho-sexual quotidian. She makes me a little nervous sometimes, because I was s'posed to be the true art & rock'n'roll rebel of the three of us Miller kids, but she's farther out on the beam. When I read Miche's stuff it's kind of like I knew it already... but when I read it-it's verified. I sure as heck hope some Hollyweird producer jumps on this book (but doesn't put Meg Ryan in the lead.) More like Judy Davis.