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92nd out of 100 books
—
35 voters
We're Flying
Following the publication of the widely acclaimed novel Seven Years comes a trove of stories from the Swiss master Peter Stamm. They all possess the traits that have built Stamm’s reputation: the directness of the prose, the deceptive surface simplicity of the narratives, and deep psychological insight into the existential dilemmas of contemporary life. Stamm does not wast...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
August 14th 2012
by Other Press
(first published April 2008)
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I’m enthused by this book. I don’t normally get on too well with short stories, being a fully paid-up narrative junkie. I like to get lost in books, and it’s difficult to get lost in ten pages. I had a feeling, however, that Peter Stamm would work well in the short form, having read his novel Seven Years. I was quite impressed by his crisp, deadpan, faintly creepy style and his unusual take on human psychology and sexuality, but I wasn’t sure that it worked across the course of an entire novel (...more
A very interesting collection of stories with a unique voice. The style is spare and (for want of a better word) blase enough to be enjoyably odd and memorable. The lead-off story, "Expectations" perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the collection. In it, a lonely (and sorta strange) woman becomes romantically involved--after a fashion--with her upstairs neighbor, a much younger (and definitely strange) man. Certainly, the authors explores the opportunity for one person listening carefully to...more
Pine Trees and Snow
This is a fine collection of stories. They are dark and often leave you hanging yet for all that they’re satisfying in large part because they’re so well done. They’re heavily laden with teachers and educational settings but disgruntled students aren’t the focus…the teachers are in the forefront. This book is about adults and for adults. Stamm explores obsession, dissatisfaction, inappropriate behavior sometimes bordering on being dangerous, and fatalism just to name a few of...more
This is a fine collection of stories. They are dark and often leave you hanging yet for all that they’re satisfying in large part because they’re so well done. They’re heavily laden with teachers and educational settings but disgruntled students aren’t the focus…the teachers are in the forefront. This book is about adults and for adults. Stamm explores obsession, dissatisfaction, inappropriate behavior sometimes bordering on being dangerous, and fatalism just to name a few of...more
8 likes · like · see review
El tema principal de este libro es la soledad, sobre lo difícil que es encontrar personas que te entiendan y a las que entender; es decir, sobre la alienación del ser humano. Peter Stamm lo expresa así en uno de sus cuentos:
"Cuando estaba con otras personas, Lukas siempre tenía la sensación de que se le cerraban los poros, se sentía pequeño y era casi dolorosamente consciente de su cuerpo. Estaba encerrado en ese cuerpo, y sólo por eso se sentía un ser humano. Cuando estaba solo, se olvidaba de...more
"Cuando estaba con otras personas, Lukas siempre tenía la sensación de que se le cerraban los poros, se sentía pequeño y era casi dolorosamente consciente de su cuerpo. Estaba encerrado en ese cuerpo, y sólo por eso se sentía un ser humano. Cuando estaba solo, se olvidaba de...more
"While revealing the limits of our existence, knowledge, and language, the stories are simultaneously haunting and uplifting. A master storyteller, Stamm succeeds in stripping away layers of superficiality to uncover the complicated daily psychological struggle of the average person." - Gregory H. Wolf, North Central College
This book was reviewed in the May 2013 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our site: http://bit.ly/1480iFZ
This book was reviewed in the May 2013 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our site: http://bit.ly/1480iFZ
It's rare that I read a collection of short stories cover to cover, but I did so with We're Flying. I would like to give it 3.5 stars because it's much better than all the books I gave 3 stars, but it wasn't quite a 4 because I felt something was missing. However, I think that's also why I liked the book as much as I did. The stories echo in my head and I keep turning them over, waiting for a solution to pop up. But there is no solution, and that's the beauty of it. Great writing that leaves a b...more
some unevenness, or a least blase treatments of infidelity and going crazy, but then others ("seven sleepers") that contain the whole world in 20 some pages. in two parts that i don't really understand the difference, but part one "we're flying" and part two "the ridge". a classic for canon.
3 likes · like · see review
We're Flying is out in English. Marvelous short story collection.
These are very well-written stories that I'm sure will appeal to many people...but not to me.
Characters didn't hold my interest. I'm sure it's a very personal thing, as reading any book would be.
Characters didn't hold my interest. I'm sure it's a very personal thing, as reading any book would be.
This is a very good collection of stories about very common folk going through the motions of life. Stark. Realistic. Very insightful and intuitive is Peter Stamm. If you enjoy short stories then I recommend this collection. It's universal, the condition of being human and sometimes the conditions we find ourselves up against might be (ever so) slightly recognizable in one or two of these gems put before us by this writer.
Well written, Peter Stamm is obviously a talented writer. However, I found most of the story lines in this collection uninteresting bordering on pointless.............maybe that's the point.(??)
I don't normally read short stories but decided to give this a try after reading a review on The Rumpus.
And I'm glad I did.
The stories are beautiful, haunting and moving, and are organized in a seamless fashion, enabling the reader to move from one to the next elegantly. The final story, Coney Island, is the perfect close to the collection.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
And I'm glad I did.
The stories are beautiful, haunting and moving, and are organized in a seamless fashion, enabling the reader to move from one to the next elegantly. The final story, Coney Island, is the perfect close to the collection.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
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Peter Stamm grew up in Weinfelden in the canton of Thurgau the son of an accountant. After completing primary and secondary school he spent three years as an apprentice accountant and then 5 as an accountant. He then chose to go back to school at the University of Zurich taking courses in a variety of fields including English studies, Business informatics, Psychology, and Psychopathology. During t...more
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Jun 02, 2013 12:09am
Yes, he's a real talent, and ve...more
Jun 02, 2013 02:29am