BOOK REVIEW – BARK BY LORRIE MOORE
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I have always been a fan of short stories. Perhaps it all started with the condensed Reader Digest books around the house. Perhaps it is nothing more than my friends making fun of me for having a “thick book” and how it coincided with my inability to attract the attention of the opposite sex. Because back then, no girl would be caught dead with a “nerd.” As I write, I chuckle heartedly at the foolishness of youth and the opportunities we missed out on due to it. Over the decades, I have diligently read my essays and short stories.
This year, I decided to focus on short fiction and count my reading. I usually read short stories and essays throughout the year but do not apply them to my annual goal. However, this year, the strangest thing occurred. As I kept track of everything I read, I introduced myself to new authors and reintroduced some of my past favorites. This journey in short fiction has been a ridiculous, worthwhile experience. Typically, when I think of solid short stories, I lean to the “standards” Carver, O’Connor—Frank and Flannery, and Gordon Weaver. However, I have learned to enjoy Perotta, Ford, and many others.
Throughout this year, I discovered some fantastic writers, Lippman, Deaver, and Koontz, known for their novels. I enjoyed their stories more than I imagined I would, so I decided to continue picking up random authors to see what they offer to the genre. This portion of my rant finally brings me to Lorrie Moore. I remember Moore from the countless stories from the past I read for one English class or another. However, I read this collection for the entertainment factor.
Reading Moore reminds me of how I fell in love with the written word. It’s like a semester or writing workshop summed up within a few pages. It caused me to pull out my collection and examine it again. How quickly I discovered I hadn’t followed the same advice I had given aspiring writers over the years. With short stories, you have the potential to be shocked and awed and have your sense of reality disturbed to the core in a matter of minutes with no apologies. Then, if done right, you thank them for the experience while sitting and waiting for the next installment.
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Mangus Khan 