Sh*tshow

A longish short story from the ever-talented Richard Russo. Domestic mystery in part, but mostly slice of life set in the aftermath of the 2016 election. The political aspect doesn't get in the way, but provides an excellent backdrop for social and relationship tensions. Witty and captivating from b......more

This short story is a sure bet for fans of Richard Russo. As in his other stories and novels, he knows how to create characters that are real and relatable. I’m never disappointed in his story telling because I always feel as if these characters are people I might know. David and Ellie, retired from......more

4★ “I’d imagined that she’d become unhinged by dread, but now I knew better. Oh, her freak-out had been real enough. But I’d been wrong to conclude that fear had untethered her from reality. She’d just slipped the knot that tethered her to my own. How long had she wanted to do that, I wondered?” Three......more

Richard Russo doesn’t disappoint. This is a short story that starts right after the 2016 US election. The narrator and his wife’s lives take an emotional downturn in parallel with their feelings about the outcome of the election. As usual, Russo says a lot with few words. Clever and potent.......more

Not classic Russo by any means, but then it would be hard to match the genius of Nobody's Fool or Empire Falls in only 33 pages. Whatever the case, this is witty and clever and well worth the read.......more