| Publisher: | A. Knopf : |
|---|---|
| Pub date: | 1998. |
| Pages: | 291 p. ; |
| ISBN: | 0679445978 |
Birds of America is a collection of poignant stories about average people. It is classic Lorrie Moore, employing artistic use of language and witty dialogue. Humor deflects, somewhat, the sadness in each story, although each deals with loss or mortality.
What makes this collection one of the best I've ever read is the sheer humanity of the characters depicted. Each story has a character who is struggling with something monumental in his or her life. Each looks realistically at the situation and, in the end, makes a choice that is the best given all options. The characters recognize life's ironies as well as its unfairness. But none have time for self-pity.
If you are a fan of Lorrie Moore, or if you enjoyed her latest novel, A Gate at the Stairs, this collection is well worth reading. It is filled with pathos, yes, but the strength of the human spirit in the face of all odds, rings clearly.
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