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You Are Having a Good Time
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In You Are Having a Good Time, Amie Barrodale’s collection of highly compressed and charged tales, the veneer of normality is stripped from her characters’ lives to reveal the seething and contradictory desires that fuel them. In “Animals,” an up-and-coming starlet harbors a complicated attraction toward her abusive director. In “Frank Advice for Fat Women,” an ethically c
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Paperback, 208 pages
Published
July 5th 2016
by FSG Originals
(first published March 8th 2016)
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Fun book of stories that zig and zag their way through unpredictable plots - sexual transgression, ethical dilemma, and impulsive behavior are the rules here. The first story, William Wei (https://www.theparisreview.org/fictio...), was quite possibly my favorite, but while these stories have similarities, the collection makes for a diverse, entertaining experience.
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This book felt like going to a party all alone where you didn't know anyone and drinking too much cheap rosé. At first, it was kind of rough going, and everything seemed weird. Then it was like you found the right people to talk to and someone gave you some upmarket red.
Barrodale's humor is so strange, so touching. It's like Loorie Moore and Deborah Eisenberg co-wrote together on LSD. I feel somewhat incapable of recalling the plots to most of the stories but each left me with a mood and atmosp ...more
Barrodale's humor is so strange, so touching. It's like Loorie Moore and Deborah Eisenberg co-wrote together on LSD. I feel somewhat incapable of recalling the plots to most of the stories but each left me with a mood and atmosp ...more
I was once talking to a friend about how books rated 4-stars on Goodreads are sometimes more interesting and complex than 5-star all-pleasing books. This is a good case for that argument. I loved this book for its oddness, it imperfections, and boldness of voice. I can tell that Barrodale is a writer who won't play by the rules or do what you always want. This sort of independence reminds me of Nell Zink and Ottessa Moshfegh. And it will probably make me pick up any book she writes after this.
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Two stars because I did not like these stories. They aren't about anything, yet they're so vague one could say they're about everything. This kind of plotless, pointless nonsense is why I stopped reading the New Yorker.
Maybe people like to read these because these types of characters lead pointless, random lives, which accurately depicts the pointless, random lives of the people who like to read this sort of thing. A pretentious and bored ouroboros eating its own tail miserably forever.
Maybe people like to read these because these types of characters lead pointless, random lives, which accurately depicts the pointless, random lives of the people who like to read this sort of thing. A pretentious and bored ouroboros eating its own tail miserably forever.
(DNF @ 21%) I only managed the first two stories. Barrodale writes in a flat, affectless style full of unconnected sentences; her themes are of Hollywood and the emptiness of modern life. This reminded me most of Miranda July, so if you’re a big fan of hers I’d say go for it. Otherwise, don’t bother.
Maybe it was just the mood I was in but I laughed a lot reading this book.
Stylistically, I found myself thinking about Jesus' Son, in which dialogue is the vehicle for showing what's in the room or what's happening. Does that make sense? There's a lot of very well done compression happening in here and things are often described in a way that assumes knowledge, like how you would tell a friend. Like, you'd just mention Carole, you wouldn't go into a big thing about who Carole is.
Faves: "William ...more
Stylistically, I found myself thinking about Jesus' Son, in which dialogue is the vehicle for showing what's in the room or what's happening. Does that make sense? There's a lot of very well done compression happening in here and things are often described in a way that assumes knowledge, like how you would tell a friend. Like, you'd just mention Carole, you wouldn't go into a big thing about who Carole is.
Faves: "William ...more
This book has been on my bedside table for months. The first story, William Wei, is so good. So sad. The last line is amazing and perfect. There are many savage moments in these stories, and many brutal sentences packed with thought and emotion. Amie Barrodale is one of the most generous writers because I don't have the feeling that she's trying to be in control or masterful. Her writing is direct and vivid and it speaks to me.
The stories in this book were so obscure, but solid. The characters were flawed and distractable--almost believable, but too blase about things that people tend not to be blase about to be realistic. The stories contained some wickedly funny lines and passages that described the pain and anguish that comes from disengagement perfectly.
If you like listening to tangential stories, you'll like this book. I like to be surprised, and none of these stories were predictable.
If you like listening to tangential stories, you'll like this book. I like to be surprised, and none of these stories were predictable.
I picked this book of short stories to read quickly between other books. Well it took me way too long to read (I was determined to finish) because it was so hard to get through. These stories are weird and feel disjointed, plus they seem to end abruptly as if in the middle of a thought or sentence. I would not recommend them.
Not going to lie, I only picked this up after reading an article in which my new fave Ottessa Moshfegh claimed that this is her favorite collection of short stories. I found a few of the stories really well-crafted with an underlying sense of dread, but the majority of these were just fine to me. Barrodale seems to be really fascinated with people who are having affairs, are in therapy, or are into vague religious beliefs. "The Commission", "The Imp", and "Frank Advice for Fat Women" were my fav
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After reading the opening passage, I thought I would have loved this, but I really, really didn’t. I was bored. Most of the time I didn’t even know what I was reading (or why I was forcing myself to try). I’m sure it’s a good book for someone, but that someone just isn’t me.
DNF, not interested in ever picking it back up.
DNF, not interested in ever picking it back up.
Oct 18, 2018
Rachel Pollock
added it
Actively disliked this one. I’m enjoying thinking about why, though, so I guess that’s preferable to wishing I had the hours of my life back.
a really really strong collection of interesting stories, I highly recommend it.
I consider this book to be a perfect example of the old adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Not only is the jacket hideous, but as I picked it up I immediately started second-guessing myself, wondering, "Am I really going to enjoy something from the fiction editor at Vice?"
Yes. Through the first story, my doubts remained. But as I made my way through the collection (quite quickly, I might add) I became obsessed with her writing, her characters and the complex situations they find themselve ...more
Yes. Through the first story, my doubts remained. But as I made my way through the collection (quite quickly, I might add) I became obsessed with her writing, her characters and the complex situations they find themselve ...more
“You are Having a Good Time” by Amie Barrodale is a collection of non-interlinked stories of desire, consequences be damned. It is about characters who are so simple that all they want is for their desires to see fruition and at the same time so complex that they want to justify everything that desire makes them do (or so it seems). The desires in these stories could be related to the body or not. The underline theme though is that of normality being stripped away from every single character, fo
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Most of these short stories just seem weird-for-the-sake-of-weird, though a couple of them, notably "Animals" and "Frank Advice for Fat Girls" rise above. Not a fan of the adamant "non-resolution" endings, though.
I had the pleasure of first encountering these stories in a stack of manuscripts, from which they immediately stood out as Real Deal, idiosyncratic in the best possible way, and I'm so happy they made it out into the world.
Almost as good as No One Belongs Here More Than You
A pretty enjoyable collection of short stories; filled with flawed characters whose stories are tied together by motifs of doomed affairs, booze-fueled nights, and a touch of the surreal.
Really a pleasant surprise. Picked it up cos of the cover and enjoyed pretty much every story in here. The author is amazing at writing life's absurd, stupid moments.
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I was disappointed by this short story collection. The premises are intriguing - India, a New York City therapist's office, a Buddhist group in Seattle, a haunted apartment in California - and I love themes that center around normalized dysfunction.
However, her writing fell flat. Her characters were opaque. One thing I love about short stories is the writer's ability to capture a character (or multiple characters, or a relationship between characters) in a small amount of space. That was not th ...more
However, her writing fell flat. Her characters were opaque. One thing I love about short stories is the writer's ability to capture a character (or multiple characters, or a relationship between characters) in a small amount of space. That was not th ...more
I was impressed by Amie B.'s story "William Wei", included in a Paris Review Anthology, so I picked up this book of stories. Her style is very economical, a la Ray Carver, but sometimes too much so. I also skip around story collections and I tried last tale "Rinpoche" first, a cynically funny depiction of a Buddhist bunch pettily arguing, until one of them dies and the death brings them together. Good story, tried but true statement in contemporary setting.
Now the question I always ask myself wh ...more
Now the question I always ask myself wh ...more
Amie Barrodale – You Are Having a Good Time
A collection of ten short stories.
The strongest story in this collection is the first story, ‘William Wei’. Ms. Barrodale has said in an interview that it is her favorite, and I discover that it won the Plimpton Prize for Fiction. It is very well written. Every sentence is strong. The movement of the viewpoint character through the story flows well and carries the reader along.
Apparently this was originally intended as the beginning of a novel, but wa ...more
A collection of ten short stories.
The strongest story in this collection is the first story, ‘William Wei’. Ms. Barrodale has said in an interview that it is her favorite, and I discover that it won the Plimpton Prize for Fiction. It is very well written. Every sentence is strong. The movement of the viewpoint character through the story flows well and carries the reader along.
Apparently this was originally intended as the beginning of a novel, but wa ...more
Very entertaining collection of stories. Delusional, lost characters, miscommunication, missed expectations, insanity. I really enjoyed this whole collection and its views of morality and relationships. Dark comedy and drugs and losing yourself.
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Here's a story-by-story synopsis for me to go back to later:
William Wei is a tale about two lonely people (both of which are kind of terrible).
Animals is about an actress and an insane director. That one was funny.
The Imp was an interesting domesti ...more
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Here's a story-by-story synopsis for me to go back to later:
William Wei is a tale about two lonely people (both of which are kind of terrible).
Animals is about an actress and an insane director. That one was funny.
The Imp was an interesting domesti ...more
Great collection of short stories. I bought this primarily for "William Wei" which I heard narrated on The Paris Review Podcast. "William Wei" lingered for a long time and I decided I needed more and ordered the book from an international supplier and managed to get the last copy available.
"Catholic" left the same lingering impression as "William Wei". Many great others include: The Animals, The Imp, and Night Report. Amie Barrodale has knack for endings - they might end on page, but they contin ...more
"Catholic" left the same lingering impression as "William Wei". Many great others include: The Animals, The Imp, and Night Report. Amie Barrodale has knack for endings - they might end on page, but they contin ...more
I found this book while researching Ottessa Moshfegh's favorite reads. Knowing how much I loved her work, I wanted to see the people whose work inspires her.
In all cases except two, the stories were extremely engaging, containing sharp peaks and valleys and mostly always an ending that is felt like a sucker punch.
I wasn't engrossed in them, per se, although I wanted to be and could easily put it down. Perhaps that was necessary; with the intensity of some of the language and plot, breaks betwe ...more
In all cases except two, the stories were extremely engaging, containing sharp peaks and valleys and mostly always an ending that is felt like a sucker punch.
I wasn't engrossed in them, per se, although I wanted to be and could easily put it down. Perhaps that was necessary; with the intensity of some of the language and plot, breaks betwe ...more
I'm a fan of The Office sitcom, and the title of this book reminded me of when Dwight Schrute was left in charge of decorating for an office birthday party. His banner read "It Is Your Birthday". And the balloons were gray.
That's how I felt about this very slim book of short stories. To me, there's a difference between "well-written" and "written well". Barrodale's book falls in the later. Excellent use of the written language and moments of (usually) uncomfortable understanding, but just not fo ...more
That's how I felt about this very slim book of short stories. To me, there's a difference between "well-written" and "written well". Barrodale's book falls in the later. Excellent use of the written language and moments of (usually) uncomfortable understanding, but just not fo ...more
Barrodale is a pretty good writer, but this just wasn't for me. I liked how some of the stories connected with each other, but I was generally unsatisfied with the abrupt endings of most and uncomfortable with the senselessness of the collection. Reading this made me feel like I was too dumb the first time and I've have to reread it, but I know I understood it the first time. This just isn't my style of storytelling, and it probably is for someone, but the fact that James Franco has a review on
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Reads very much in the vein of Otessa Mosfegh’s new “slacker” fiction, which I didn’t know was a thing. Beautiful editing on these stories, excellent comedic timing and a flair for love and squalor. What I didn’t love about these stories is that their souls seemed everywhere yet nowhere, like a very clever person struggling to express what is deep and real within herself. I would read a novel from this author.
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