“She was delicately morbid in all her gestures, sensitive, arrogant, vulnerable to flattery. She veered between extravagant outbursts of opinion and sudden, uncertain halts, during which she seemed to look to him for approval. She was in love with the idea of intelligence, and she overestimated her own. Her sense of the world, though she presented it aggressively, could be, he sensed, snatched out from under her with little or no trouble. She said, “I hope you are a savage.”

Unlikely couples, estranged families, lovers who have fallen victim to their vanity, egotism and various weaknesses. A superb, lively, gloomy merry-go-round within the heart of the capital of the world. New York during the 1980s is the perfect stage for stories that end with a sad 'what-if'. ''What if''...The saddest words in any language... ( )

Always an edge or an angle that is precious/ harsh/wonderful. Daisy's: odd chick in bookstore (strands?) gets picked up. all seems well, but they get yelled at by normal couple and she cries. why? Romantic Weekend: Sadist guys hooks up with masochist girl for wknd trip. but they can't seem to hit each others needs- both of which are tuned in to each other but not in the right way. so good. finally after utter failure, he thinks they might be able to make it work. sweet.
An affair: Guy remembers girl he was mean to in college and dumped. but he can't let go of her- she's the only real thing for him. He's a jerk. Connection: Woman remember being friends with girl in college and how she surpassed her. we think she loves her. ( )

Many characters packed into each story. The narration is very detached. ( )

Damn.....................In Gaitskill Veritas

( )

First, let me say I listened to the audiobook, which was read by the author. At times, she did a good job, but at other times, I'm not so sure. I think she would have done better to leave it to someone else. In any case, I don't think it had any effect on my reaction to the stories.

Overall, this is a mostly sad collection that deals primarily with relationships between women in all their complexity. The relationships between women and men depicted in the book are less complex and hardly ever successful. Many of the stories blend together, as they inhabit a world of writers or artists living on the edge of Manhattan society, with precarious, unsatisfactory positions on small magazines or as freelancers. They may become part-time prostitutes to earn extra money. There are two such stories about prostitutes and the relationships they develop with a single customer. Almost every story also seems to have some reference to fish in a tank. The final story, about a woman whose family moved from Florida to New Jersey and her trials with her own children and a niece is a bit different, but not exactly uplifting either. Not that stories have to be uplifting, but Gaitskill's world of transplanted Michiganders trying to make it in New York isn't that appealing. The stories are well written and certainly bring out some aspects of existence and of thought--particularly how women think--that this male reader found interesting. But I don't think too much will stick with me. Which is good--since it would only bring me down. ( )