The Joy of Funerals: A Novel in Stories

This is a book that's meant to be read twice. On first reading, it's a smart and engaging collection of stories, with fully drawn characters and beautiful sentences. On the second reading, all the pieces come together and you realize the meanings behind all you so lightheartedly enjoyed first time around. I envy those who haven't yet read this book.

Let's not talk about the intelligence of the narrative- (a series of seemingly unrelated short stories all involving death and funerals that culminate in one final story that tie them all together) or the insight it probably required to create so many consistently rich and unique, characters who (although are all somehow influenced if not obsessed with death and dying) are still fundamentally vital human beings. Let's not even talk about the ease in which one slips into each story or the humor that comes from each character's [very real] specificity.On a purely technical level, Strauss' writing is innovative, her word choice and narrative/structural choices are wholly well informed and on all levels serve to draw the reader into what is already, in itself, a very delicate and delicious subject matter. She is a writer's writer with a rare insight that makes the rest of today's Urban interest fiction seem bland and flavorless, no offense to The Devil Wears Prada... Anyone who has been fortunate enough to have seen the beauty in something which had till then been otherwise discounted as worthless, taboo, disgusting, ugly, or undesireable will immediately appreciate this book. Anyone who has not, should read it in hopes that someday they will.

Although I recently faulted Paul Theroux in his recent book for giving us what I thought were works-in-process for the same story, Alix Strauss has, in my opinion, successfully told her stories from different overlapping viewpoints. This is what I felt was lacking in the Theroux. With Struass you wonder if the title story came first and then the enrichments followed or whether the shorter stories were the burgeoning ideas that came together in the larger. No matter. It was all so skillfully done. Despite the act that the subject was a little tender for me having lost a loved one recently, Strauss's creative skills kept me involved with her ideas and never allowed me to stray into my own grieving ones. Despite the subject matter - a great read.

I thought The Joy of Funerals was a quick and interesting read (which doesn't mean it lacks substance - just that Ms. Strauss is a good storyteller). Ms. Strauss takes a "taboo" subject and turns it into something we can all read about without guilt and actually enjoy. I think how you'll take to this book depends on your views about death and funerals, but for me personally, funerals are not really talked about. They're just something to do when someone dies, and that's that. So for me, to build a whole book around the subject was a treat.So yes, the main theme in this book is funerals, but each story has it's own plot, it's own twist. Ms. Strauss goes one step further and ends The Joy of Funerals with a novella that ties all the previous (except one) stories together. You get to flash back to a story you just finished and then view it from a different point of view. This was a surprise to me because I didn't read any of the reviews posted here until I finished the book, so it took me a few paragraphs to get that the author was doing this. It may sound redundant, but in all reality, it's not. Structuring a novella this way only gives you a different perspective of a story already told without rehashing details again. All in all, I would recommend this point to anyone who just loves a good story. I read this book fast and kept on thinking how I wanted to pick it up and read, read, read. I just hope Ms. Strauss comes out with more in the future. She's on my list a intriguing authors.

This collecton of stories is smartly written. I found the characters to be quite well drawn. By focusing on the theme of funerals, the author places all of the women she writes about in unusual and challenging situations. It is crafted with a clever sense of humor and I enjoyed the way all of the stories were woven together in the novella at the end. I gave this book to a few friends who love short stories and they have all recommended it to others.