Dreams of Distant Lives: Stories

by Lee K. Abbott

The view of me from Mars
The happy parts
Here in time and not
Dreams of distant lives
Revolutionaries
Once upon a time
Why I live in Hanoi
Driving his Buick home
The era of great numbers
1963

Genres: Short Stories

206 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although voice is front and center in Abbott's stories, he also does many interesting things with structure. I'll just comment on a few things that caught my attention. "1963" reminds me a bit of Richard Ford's story "Children," with Abbott's Marcia showing that same disaffection as Ford's Lucy. I love that Abbott conceals what Chappy writes on Marcia's mirror in lipstick. "Revolutionaries" I found riveting from the storytelling perspective. He got me in the story and held me to the end. Nice double-layered structure of expectation; first it is the friend, then it is the ex-wife. The friend's daughter is a nice diversion, juicing up the story just before the end. Interesting that the ex-wife is never really in the story, yet in a way, because she is continually mentioned, and then featured in the ending section, she becomes the story. But it's the story we are not told. Fascinating narrative strategy. "Once Upon a Time" also has a peculiar structure. The second dead dog story, told first, is the final straw. The first dead dog story, which is told last, ends the narrative. Dog one is an answer to dog two—yet there is no return to the present action of the dog two narrative. Again, I am amazed at how much detail Abbott gets into this story without bogging it down. He creates the whole world of their lives in the flow of two very specific events. "Here in Time and Not," didn't really work for me. I think, structurally, it is a fresh take on a frequently done theme (a parent wanting to protect a child from the pain of growing up), but I knew what was going to happen and Abbott gave me nothing new there. The story does feature some striking expressions describing the narrator's emotional situation. Which made me wonder if that wasn't the real purpose of the story—to let the narrator strut his language. "Happy Parts" is a totally off-kilter story. It's a slice of life; yet, here again Abbott manages to fill it full of details that reveal a much broader scope than the slice. Of course we knew the guy that gave him a ride was taking out the ex-wife, didn't we? So why is it still funny and sad?

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, actually, I loved one story: "Dreams of Distant Lives" I get that Abbot is an accomplished short story writer. The stories are filled with local color, but unfortunately the men are pretty much pathetic or misogynist, or just ruined. I felt sympathy for one or two of these down-on their-luck characters...but the era...mainly the fifties and sixties, is one where men were rarely held accountable. Most of their wives or ex-wives or about to be ex-wives are pretty shallow or cold as well. While I admired the craft of the stories, and Abbott's refusal to sentimentalize his characters, I didn't want to live in the places he created with the characters who found their way into these sad situations.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid enough but doesn't feel as strong as some of his other collections. Does contain probably my favorite of his stories, "Revolutionaries," about a man who receives a visit from his childhood friend who'd gone on to become a domestic terrorist.

[Bert J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee Abbott is a short story master.

The Era of Great Numbers is now one of my favorite short stories of all time.
Just a brilliant balance of tone, exoticism with the right touch of authenticity, and subtle humor.

[Gerry LaFemina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Lee K. Abbot's work, and I liked this book quite a bit though not as much as some of his other books. There's a desolation in it that reminds me of early Carver...