The Half You Don't Know

by Peter Cameron

Nineteen funny and moving stories about the compromises and intimate struggles of modern life

This collection of stories represents the best of Peter Cameron’s work from the 1980s, much of it first published in the New Yorker, the Kenyon Review, and the Yale Review. In these richly layered stories, sophisticated urbanites and lonely drifters alike face down the sad limitations to their dreams. Highlights include the O. Henry Award–winning stories “Excerpts from Swan Lake,” about a young gay couple from New York coping with suburban suspicion, and “Homework,” about a boy yearning for the order of the classroom after  cutting school to deal with the death of his dog.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, LGBT, Gay

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Peter Cameron (b. 1959) is an award-winning novelist and short story writer. Born in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, he moved to New York City after graduating college in 1982. Cameron began publishing stories in the New Yorker one year later. His numerous award-winning stories for that magazine led to the publication of his first book, One Way or Another (1986), which received a special citation for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for a First Book of Fiction. He has since focused on writing novels, including Leap Year (1990) and The City of Your Final Destination (2002), which was a PEN/Faulkner Award finalist. Cameron lives in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story collections are often an uneven lot; this one isn't uniformally terrific, but I found fewer "lows" than I'd expected. I make it a practice not to read more than three stories per sitting, which helps keep the momentum going; otherwise, the characters begin sounding alike.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was introduced to peter cameron when he read with amy hempel at a conference i attended. he was alarmingly funny and, even in the 15 minutes that he read there were lines i wanted to write down and save forever. while all of these stories were certainly well-written, some just didn't hit me. i felt they were so quiet that i missed the point. this may be my fault and not his. he writes beautifully on different pains- to connect, to re-connect, to move, to let go, etc. etc. i can't wait to read more of his work.

[Simon A. Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cameron is another of those underrated short story writers floating around out there. He writes these great little 10 page dramas about loss and tragedy. Many of them are coming-of-age stories and while those are fairly common subjects, Cameron has that special subtle touch of a real artist. He's skilled with his similes and metaphors and figuritive language and he uses them to great success here. The first story "Homework" is one of my favorite short stories of all time.

[Liam Ostermann]

As a point of information which is not made clear on Goodreads or the amazon listing I have seen is that this is not a collection of new short stories but a collection made up of some of those previously published in his first two collections 'One Way or Another' and 'Far Flung'. Doesn't mean it isn't worth reading but if you have already read, or own either, or both, of those books you might feel disappointed on discovering there is nothing new in this one.

Please be assured I am not suggesting any attempt to deceive by either Mr. Cameron or his publisher. I am sure the book makes perfectly clear that stories have been previously published - it is the lack of this information elsewhere I blame.

[Aerostat Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dans ce recueil de nouvelles, Peter Cameron nous plonge dans des nombreuses vies, à travers notamment le récit de petits détails ordinaires.
La plupart des protagonistes sont marqués par un événement et sont issus de la bourgeoisie américaine. Le comique et la légèreté sont rarement présents pour laisser place aux petits drames et aux nœuds du quotidien.

Peter Cameron écrit très bien, en laissant transparaître les caractéristiques des personnages par le style d'écriture, souvent sec et simple. Cependant j'ai trouvé la traduction en français de mauvaise qualité.

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely written short stories. Cameron is an author I love and I found his style thriving when writing short stories; they’re never two the same or boring and most of them would leave that bittersweet aftertaste that will make me wish for the stories to actually be turned into books as I would want to know more.

[derek allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

While well written these stories seemed thin to me. Compared with the modern short story writers work, these read more like the minimalist trend of the 90s that leaves one, upon finishing, wanting more.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars - these short stories were amazing! Snapshots of life and conversation. I loved each one (and how often can you say that about an entire collection of stories?!) Really, really wonderful.

[Cherise Wolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A re-read.

[Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still one of my favorite short story collections.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book of short stories. Peter Cameron is very good in showing how people respond emotionally to different things going on in their lives. This collection of stories are often quite sad, so just be advised that if you're looking for sunshine, rainbows, and happy endings, you won't find them here. Two of the stories that stood out for me are "The Meeting and Greeting Area" and "Departing." Both stories featured gay men and their relationships and Cameron really does a great job of making the characters in each story come alive.

[Liana]

I prefer his novels but there were a few stories in here that were really good. There were also a few that didn't really turn into anything. At the end it said where the stories had originally been published and it said that a few of them won the O Henry prize. I think I agreed with O...those were the best ones. If you plan on reading "The Weekend," don't read the story with a character called Lyle in it because I think it's a shorter version of that novel. That story may have been called "Departures."

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is out of print and hard to find but worth looking for. There are a few gems, I wish I still had my copy so I could tell you which ones (I do remember them, but not their titles). Cameron is a skilled and subtle writer, good with the nuances in relationships. I love his novels, but this collection shows he's quite good at stories too.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author is incredibly talented. His writing is almost poetic, and I love the way he describes emotions. These short stories don't really have a point, however, or I completely missed it. It's enjoyable reading, but when it's done, there's nothing to really think about. Maybe it's just not my style.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Cameron writes dialogue as well as Salinger and Richard Yates.
These are amazing stories, and they are fun to read even when they break your heart, which they will do, if you have a heart, and if you don't, that is very sad and I weep for your wretched soul.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter Cameron has written one of my very favorite short stories called "Homework" which is included in this collection. While I didn't find any stories that I liked quite as much as "Homework", I did enjoy the many different perspective from which he writes.

[seine · Rating 4 out of 5]

old favorite. always makes me sad but in a good way.

[William Reichard · Rating 4 out of 5]

really fine, subtle stories that hold up well over time - well observed and often lovely

[Richard Jespers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection of stories, especially “Meeting and Greeting Area,” and “Not the Point.”

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, I'm really enjoying this collection.