Where Can I Take You When There's Nowhere To Go

by Joe Baumann

In Joe Baumann’s newest collection Where Can I Take You When There’s Nowhere To Go , queer men explore their sense of who they are and what they want, often in worlds that are tilted askew from what we might expect.   Thirteen surreal short stories utilize the strange and the bizarre as a backdrop for explorations of loneliness, queer coming-of-age, self-discovery, and loss. In “We Adore These Bodies Until They Are Gone,” people evaporate when suffering isolation and directionless; in “Happy Birthdays,” characters transform into different ages when they consume particular kinds of cake; and in the titular story, a pair of lonely teenagers come together at a party after one of them gifts the other with a small cloud he has spun out of his own hands. Baumann’s tender vignettes of love, anger, grief, and desire are a stunning ode to the places and people that can give us solace within an absurd and chaotic world.

Genres: Short Stories, LGBT, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2023

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of these stories did not work for me--interesting fabulist premises, but they often felt divorced from what was going on with the characters. The endings usually surged up from nowhere and didn't push me in a helpful direction. I also thought a number of the pieces had similar character dynamics, so I felt like I was treading similar ground a lot. There were lovely prose moments!

2.5/5

[Timothy Deer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Kelly Link were a gay man, this is the short story collection she’d write. This book took me by surprise. Funny, moving, inventive.

[Skylar Miklus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning collection of speculative short stories, many of which center around queer men in the Midwest. These stories look at our world on a slant- tilting just a detail or two into a magical landscape. The resulting narratives are grounded in a deftly wrought emotional landscape, while also offering a soaring imagination. My favorite story was "For Rent," in which a woman offers an artist residence in her ribcage. Another standout was "Clinging," in which grief makes people grow roots. Overall, Joe Baumann is a really excellent storyteller, and this collection is highly unique. Many thanks to BOA Editions for the ARC; available October 24th!

[Jammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

first finished book of 2025!
wonderful worlds in each stories with interesting concepts, however i don’t think i’m a short-story girl that enjoys how little the worlds are explored. also, sometimes i read a chapter and felt like i took nothing from it. not the book for me, but a decent book regardless

[Chantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

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