Old Girlfriends: Stories

There have been a slew of excellent contemporary short stories published recently, and this collection is one of the best of them. Updike seems to have an exceptional eye for descriptive detail and an exceptional ear for inner dialogue. He is also blessed with a very moving and captivating writing style. Highly Recommended.

These stories have a certain plainly-spoken elegance that I enjoy. The masterful stroke in this collection is the thread of emotional tenderness that runs through all the stories. This emotional connection to other people interrelates the stories just as it interrelates the characters to each other and the rest of humanity. It's beautifully handled. Tender and powerful. Never melodramatic or overdone. The stories are all different, but they all share this same marvelous emotional tenderness. Well worth the read.