LOVE AT A GIRLS' SCHOOL: and other stories

by Diana Altman

LOVE AT A GIRLS' SCHOOL, is a funny, touching collection of short stories previously published in the Notre Dame Review, North American Review, The Sea Letter, and other respected literary journals. Using her penetrating eye, wicked sense of humor, and vivid imagination, Diana Altman shares her take on college life in the 1960's in stories such as, Love at a Girls' School, in which young lovers struggle to find privacy in an era of prudish college rules. The setting of an all-girls' school adds an extra layer of intimacy and vulnerability to the stories. The school becomes a microcosm of the world where young hearts learn about the unexpected flaws of the adults whose authority they must obey. In Receptions with the Poet, we meet Theodore Howland, a famous Pulitzer Prize winning poet who was the narrator's beloved teacher at college. His betrayal of her does not dim the narrator's loyalty to him and when they meet years after she has graduated, they still have a deep connection. Waiting for Jasmine, is set in recent times and takes the reader inside a shelter for homeless women where life is sometimes violent and often confusing not because of the women who come to the shelter for food and a bed, but because of the eccentric and unbalanced women who work in the shelter. Itty Bitty Betsy is a tiny secretary who works in the narrator's hobo bag giving her the items she requests so the narrator won't have to scrounge around in there to find things. The stories are witty, poignant, and often hilarious. A fast-moving, easy to read and entertaining collection by a master of the form.

171 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2024

Reviews

[Nel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful collection of stories by Diana Altman! I'm a sucker for short stories, and so many of these resonated with me. What a joy to catch a glimpse into someone's life for a short moment in time, and come away with plenty to ponder. Ms. Altman has done a wonderful job in connecting readers with each of her protagonists, and as is so often the case with short stories, I didn't feel unsatisfied after these tales. Most of them ended at just the right time were just the right length!

Most fun was the imagination that Ms. Altman brought to the table. Several of these stories brought really vivid images to life. Who couldn't use a tiny purse secretary here in the real world👩?! And what about an eye on the end of your finger to see around corners👁?! Don't let the silly nature of those 2 imaginative scenarios cause you to discount this little gem of a book. On the contrary, many of the stories were incredibly thought-provoking.

Many thanks to Mckinney Media Group for this gifted review copy! It was truly enjoyable!

To read more of my reviews, please check out my blog at www.mamasgottaread.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mamasgottaread!

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of imaginative stories that is sure to include something for many different literary tastes. These are not sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat tales but rather slices of life of everyday people that readers could possibly relate to.

The insights gleaned will come upon pondering the stories during and after having read them. Different types of people are represented here as well as a variety of settings and even time frames.

The author does well in capturing human nature, and her stories have their share of surprises in them. You might think the story is heading in a certain direction than discover something new and unexpected by the end.

Love at a Girls’ School and Other Stories is a short collection, and readers are bound to remember their favorites for a long time.

[Britta Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories ranges from serious to silly, and could be read in one sitting. I enjoyed the more serious chapters, like one about the author’s interactions with a teenage girl forced to give her newborn up for adoption in the 1960s and their lifelong friendship. Some of the chapters intended to be humorous, like one about a tiny, purse-sized secretary, didn’t connect with me. Overall, Love at a Girls’ School and Other Stories is a memoir about the everyday life of a woman growing up in the era of girls-only schools and casual sexism, through adulthood and a changing world.