Strange Attractors: 2stories

This short story, The Editor's Story, renewed my love of reading. The author transported me back to 1907-1908, through a story told to supposed listener. The female author, Rebecca Goldstein, recounted the story of a male editor's evoking of the Modern Novel from the least expected author-to-beat-all authors... a timid female named E. A. Worthinghouse. Eugenia eludes description. However, she did herald the Modern Era, and she birthed female desire headfirst into the Modern Novel, through a sub-story known as "Antonia's Confession". The Editor's Story embodies the evasive, the illusive and the deeply mysterious in a straight-forward, recounting-sort-of-way. The path of the story always leads back to Chimera, and E.A. Worthinghouse. "I can't remember the last time I was so excited by a new work as I am by Chimera", I continued. "I was completely fascinated, overwhelmed-and not just a little bit appalled". I haven't read anything else by Rebecca Goldstein, and I'm a little worried I've stumbled across a "one hit wonder". For the moment, I'm content to read The Editor's Story. Though I'd love to get my hands on Chimera.

What a insightful collection of short stories by one of my all-time favorite American authors! As a bonus I was also so surprised and happy to meet the characters from Goldstein's book "Mazel" again. I read the entire collection in a couple of sittings, and I was amazed at the scope of themes included - even though they all deal with "being Jewish" in one way or a another. As much as I like Goldstein's novels, I sincerely hope she will write more in this genre again as well. Recommended!