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The Short Story Advent Calendar
The Short Story Advent Calendar
Short story advent calendar: a collection of 24 individually-bound short stories, all collected in a slipcase. Short stories from 8 countries with 3 different originating languages (all in English / English translation).
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
First published January 1, 2018
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22 people want to read
About the author
Michael Hingston
5 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 27, 2024
Reread with my #ssac buddies, Barbara, Des, and Jason; big thanks to them, we have such a great time exploring and re-exploring these stories. I discovered my favorites from December 2018 (see below) were still my favorites of January 2024.
*
I’ll say of this calendar what I’ve said in my reviews of the previous two years’ calendars: This was so much fun! I'll miss having a new short story to open every morning.
While I didn’t have as many ‘favorites’ as I did last year, I still enjoyed every single day. This year’s standouts for me include:
Day 6: “The Glamour of the Snow” by Algernon Blackwood is a love letter to snow, and reminiscent of the Japanese story of the Snow Woman.
Day 15: “Snatching Bodies” by Rodrigo Fresán (translated from the Spanish by Will Vanderhyden) spoke to me. Though sci-fi is not a genre I read or watch much of, my dreams often feel as such.
Day 18: “Strategies Against Sleeping” by Liliana Heker (translated from the Spanish by Miranda France). The whole, overarching story is a metaphor, and then a surprise, and I just loved it. I hope to read more of Heker.
Day 23: “Legend of the Seoul Dogs” by R.O. Kwon is a special story combining myth, religion and one’s place in the world.
An additional experience I enjoyed:
Through the posted author interview I discovered that Day 21’s “The One Who Is” by Chip Livingston was a response to Hemingway’s “Indian Camp”. That night I read “Indian Camp” online and then immediately reread the Livingston, which answers the ‘questions’ Hemingway leaves behind in his frustrating (to me) story.
*
I’ll say of this calendar what I’ve said in my reviews of the previous two years’ calendars: This was so much fun! I'll miss having a new short story to open every morning.
While I didn’t have as many ‘favorites’ as I did last year, I still enjoyed every single day. This year’s standouts for me include:
Day 6: “The Glamour of the Snow” by Algernon Blackwood is a love letter to snow, and reminiscent of the Japanese story of the Snow Woman.
Day 15: “Snatching Bodies” by Rodrigo Fresán (translated from the Spanish by Will Vanderhyden) spoke to me. Though sci-fi is not a genre I read or watch much of, my dreams often feel as such.
Day 18: “Strategies Against Sleeping” by Liliana Heker (translated from the Spanish by Miranda France). The whole, overarching story is a metaphor, and then a surprise, and I just loved it. I hope to read more of Heker.
Day 23: “Legend of the Seoul Dogs” by R.O. Kwon is a special story combining myth, religion and one’s place in the world.
An additional experience I enjoyed:
Through the posted author interview I discovered that Day 21’s “The One Who Is” by Chip Livingston was a response to Hemingway’s “Indian Camp”. That night I read “Indian Camp” online and then immediately reread the Livingston, which answers the ‘questions’ Hemingway leaves behind in his frustrating (to me) story.
December 25, 2018
A lovely advent calendar, beautifully designed as always. The stories aren't quite as thrilling across the board this year, but also how could you ever top last year's? And anyway, the point isn't so much the thing as the surprise, you know? I hope H&O keeps making this forever.
January 25, 2024
My faves from #ssac2018 under the category of ‘seasonal stories’ (appearance order)
“The Glamour of the Snow” by Algernon Blackwood
“Festive” by George Saunders
“Christmas Triptych” by Stephen Leacock
“Christmas Eve, 1944” by Luis Alberto Urrea
“The Age of Doubt” by @mailemeloy
My faves from #ssac2018 ‘non-seasonal’ stories (in order of appearance):
“Sea Monster” by @Seth_Fried
“One Gram Short” by @its_etgar_keret
“Every One of My Answers was a Disappointment” by @dorettalau
“Deer Season” by Kevin Barry
“In This Fantasy” by @skimfu
What’s yours? ;)
The Re-Read Jan 2024
Just finished and was delighted by “The Age of Doubt”: a remedy for these difficult times and a perfect ending to ssac2018. It’s full of hope.
I’d also like to add “Snatching Bodies” by Rodrigo Fresan to this list of favourites. I don’t think I was ready for it the first time around.
It’s been great to “not let December go” by re-reading ssac2018 with my buds Jason, Teresa, and Des.
“The Glamour of the Snow” by Algernon Blackwood
“Festive” by George Saunders
“Christmas Triptych” by Stephen Leacock
“Christmas Eve, 1944” by Luis Alberto Urrea
“The Age of Doubt” by @mailemeloy
My faves from #ssac2018 ‘non-seasonal’ stories (in order of appearance):
“Sea Monster” by @Seth_Fried
“One Gram Short” by @its_etgar_keret
“Every One of My Answers was a Disappointment” by @dorettalau
“Deer Season” by Kevin Barry
“In This Fantasy” by @skimfu
What’s yours? ;)
The Re-Read Jan 2024
Just finished and was delighted by “The Age of Doubt”: a remedy for these difficult times and a perfect ending to ssac2018. It’s full of hope.
I’d also like to add “Snatching Bodies” by Rodrigo Fresan to this list of favourites. I don’t think I was ready for it the first time around.
It’s been great to “not let December go” by re-reading ssac2018 with my buds Jason, Teresa, and Des.
January 31, 2024
Literary fans unite once again!
‘Tis the season to rise up early, crack the seal and a read a short story before heading to work.
Independent publishers Hingston and Olsen of Edmonton have once again released their festive Short Story Advent Calendar collection. 24 curated stories brought together in a beautiful high quality box set.
Now, in this fourth edition, a yearly tradition has developed. Fellow readers join together in a community online to mull, reflect and discuss the daily read via Twitter #ssac2018.
Personally, at times I felt a little disappointed with stories that didn’t resonate. Yet, on reflection it was a pleasant surprise to see this year that well over half were meaningful.
Maybe it was the expectation building since the set arrived by post a month earlier. A little dashed by the first surreal tale of a world inhabited by former animals. She was a sea monster, he a former sardine. (‘Sea Monster’ - Seth Fried). Quite.
Yet, the next day suggested where this year collection was strongest and sung from the page. Stories rooted in real life with universal themes.
BAM! Sara Levine packed an emotional punch with ‘Slower’ that sent shivers across the net. A slacker finds purpose as a stay at home dad. Ironically, his working partner takes the baby away after building resentment.
Jessica Whitehead with ‘Mr Elephant’ also looked at the role of a father who thinks he’s doing a great job but actions indicate otherwise.
First Nations is represented with a couple of stories of note. A Metis women develops feelings for her Councillor. Significant that the scant words by Lisa Bird Wilson in ‘Councilling’ hint at much in between of the indigenous experience.
‘That is something very bad that I used to be good at’.
Suzanne Rivecca ‘s ‘Someone Steps In’ is a stream of consciousness on the experience of women. The continued societal denial that bad coping habits work, shows that much work is still needed for women.
People will also probably recognize George Saunders ‘Festive’. It was first read by the author as a bedtime story on the Stephen Colbert Late show. A pithy and timely tale that in hard economic times, Christmas is what you make it.
‘Perhaps the calls are the mending’ Perhaps they are the miracles’
Solace from loss comes in unexpected places in a couple of stories. ‘A Clean Break’ by Danielle Lazarin shows how phone calls after death, helps a family broken apart by an ancient accusation.
In the most striking titled story: ‘Everyone of my Answers was a Disappointment’ Doretta Lau tells how a recent divorcee finds comfort in the underworld. After she finds herself adrift among shallow minded millennials in Toronto.
Probably most controversial is a story exploring a familiar theme. In ‘Deer Season’ by Kevin Barry he plays with the question of predatory behaviour. A young amorous teen or the older man she beds?
What if the older male was dealing with mental health issues?
Of course, it’s personal preference what works and what doesn’t. For me what didn’t was a slice of Greek myology (‘Endless City’ - Zachary Mason), a scientific report on fly swatting (‘A Qualitative Study of Our Father’ - Adam Levin) or musings of past lives (‘In This Fantasy’ - Kim Fu).
This reached its apex on Day 22 with a rambling mire of disjointed ideas by Eugene Lim - ‘Return to the Problem’. It was the realization that you can’t force your own expectations on the reality of the written word at hand that I made my own peace. The experience of expectation each morning was a joy in itself.
Traditional I am. So stories celebrating the very essence of this festive time made most impact. Here, Stephen Peacock himself provided a cautionary tale on a beleaguered Father Christmas in ‘Christmas Triptych’.
We ended strong and true with the last two tales: the bravery of women serving cheer and donuts to GI’s in war torn Europe, reminds we can pause to ponder our humanity even in our darkest hour (Christmas Eve, 1944 - Luis Alberto Urrea).
Finally, a truly perfect conclusion in just 5 pages that is the nub of it all: a lament on a child’s precious innocence to believe. Thank you Malle Melody with your contribution: ‘The Age of Doubt’.
The daily experience of expectation of the unknown within a limited number of pages is still a great pleasure in itself. This years edition excelled in stories which resonated with universal appeal for many.
From the daily reviews on Twitter many enjoyed those stories that just missed for me. That in itself is a vote of this very worthwhile enjoyable experience in small box.
Bravo once again Hingston and Olsen! 8/10
January 2024 re - read….
The experience of re - reading a novel hasn’t been my thing. But it’s sure interesting when you do. Especially when you go back and discover your initial reaction to that first read a long while back.
Last year, a fellow reader on Twitter suggested they would like to go back and re - discover the 2017 edition of the Short Story Advent Calendar (SSAC). Published by Hingston and Olsen, based in Edmonton, AB this annual tradition has just completed its ninth edition. A collection of 24 curated short stories, it is contained within a marvel of art in itself.
As an active ‘Completist’, I’m proud to have been able to follow this yearly pleasure since its first edition in 2015. Once each story is read, a small community of fellow advent calendar readers exist to share their take on Twitter. (I refuse to use the new name as it’s shite).
Once again, our merry band of four (Teresa in New Orleans, Barbara in Ontario and Jason located in Phoenix) agreed to take on the 2018 edition.
As ever, it did prove to be more hits than miss. Eclectic and wide ranging, stories included themes of war, fatherhood, Greek Mythology to Teen. Notably mentions include ‘Slower’ Sara Levine and ‘Mister Elephant’ Jessica Westhead, both on self inflicted experiences of being Dad.
Christmas isn’t always a joyous occasion when jobless as seen in ‘Festive’ George Saunders. A teenager experience to women-hood generated a lot of introspection with Suzanne Rivecca’s ‘Someone Steps In’. Which contrasted to a 30something coping with separation in a 20something Toronto with the very humorous ‘Every One of My Answers was a Disappointment’ Doretta Lau.
Probably one of more notable authors here is Kevin Barry, a 2019 Booker finalist with ‘Night Boat to Tangier’. ‘Deer Season’ presented a knotty dilemma of whose the predator between a sexually heightened 17 year old and an older man with mental health struggles.
A double header rounded off this very solid collection with ‘Christmas Eve, 1944’ Luis Alberto Urrea and a 5 page gem ‘The Age of Doubt’ Maile Melody. Both worthy of celebration every year.
A worthwhile experience, re - discovering past editions with others is indeed enlightening. 2018 was a good edition. I look forward to #ssac2019 very soon with my fellow merry band! 9/10
‘Tis the season to rise up early, crack the seal and a read a short story before heading to work.
Independent publishers Hingston and Olsen of Edmonton have once again released their festive Short Story Advent Calendar collection. 24 curated stories brought together in a beautiful high quality box set.
Now, in this fourth edition, a yearly tradition has developed. Fellow readers join together in a community online to mull, reflect and discuss the daily read via Twitter #ssac2018.
Personally, at times I felt a little disappointed with stories that didn’t resonate. Yet, on reflection it was a pleasant surprise to see this year that well over half were meaningful.
Maybe it was the expectation building since the set arrived by post a month earlier. A little dashed by the first surreal tale of a world inhabited by former animals. She was a sea monster, he a former sardine. (‘Sea Monster’ - Seth Fried). Quite.
Yet, the next day suggested where this year collection was strongest and sung from the page. Stories rooted in real life with universal themes.
BAM! Sara Levine packed an emotional punch with ‘Slower’ that sent shivers across the net. A slacker finds purpose as a stay at home dad. Ironically, his working partner takes the baby away after building resentment.
Jessica Whitehead with ‘Mr Elephant’ also looked at the role of a father who thinks he’s doing a great job but actions indicate otherwise.
First Nations is represented with a couple of stories of note. A Metis women develops feelings for her Councillor. Significant that the scant words by Lisa Bird Wilson in ‘Councilling’ hint at much in between of the indigenous experience.
‘That is something very bad that I used to be good at’.
Suzanne Rivecca ‘s ‘Someone Steps In’ is a stream of consciousness on the experience of women. The continued societal denial that bad coping habits work, shows that much work is still needed for women.
People will also probably recognize George Saunders ‘Festive’. It was first read by the author as a bedtime story on the Stephen Colbert Late show. A pithy and timely tale that in hard economic times, Christmas is what you make it.
‘Perhaps the calls are the mending’ Perhaps they are the miracles’
Solace from loss comes in unexpected places in a couple of stories. ‘A Clean Break’ by Danielle Lazarin shows how phone calls after death, helps a family broken apart by an ancient accusation.
In the most striking titled story: ‘Everyone of my Answers was a Disappointment’ Doretta Lau tells how a recent divorcee finds comfort in the underworld. After she finds herself adrift among shallow minded millennials in Toronto.
Probably most controversial is a story exploring a familiar theme. In ‘Deer Season’ by Kevin Barry he plays with the question of predatory behaviour. A young amorous teen or the older man she beds?
What if the older male was dealing with mental health issues?
Of course, it’s personal preference what works and what doesn’t. For me what didn’t was a slice of Greek myology (‘Endless City’ - Zachary Mason), a scientific report on fly swatting (‘A Qualitative Study of Our Father’ - Adam Levin) or musings of past lives (‘In This Fantasy’ - Kim Fu).
This reached its apex on Day 22 with a rambling mire of disjointed ideas by Eugene Lim - ‘Return to the Problem’. It was the realization that you can’t force your own expectations on the reality of the written word at hand that I made my own peace. The experience of expectation each morning was a joy in itself.
Traditional I am. So stories celebrating the very essence of this festive time made most impact. Here, Stephen Peacock himself provided a cautionary tale on a beleaguered Father Christmas in ‘Christmas Triptych’.
We ended strong and true with the last two tales: the bravery of women serving cheer and donuts to GI’s in war torn Europe, reminds we can pause to ponder our humanity even in our darkest hour (Christmas Eve, 1944 - Luis Alberto Urrea).
Finally, a truly perfect conclusion in just 5 pages that is the nub of it all: a lament on a child’s precious innocence to believe. Thank you Malle Melody with your contribution: ‘The Age of Doubt’.
The daily experience of expectation of the unknown within a limited number of pages is still a great pleasure in itself. This years edition excelled in stories which resonated with universal appeal for many.
From the daily reviews on Twitter many enjoyed those stories that just missed for me. That in itself is a vote of this very worthwhile enjoyable experience in small box.
Bravo once again Hingston and Olsen! 8/10
January 2024 re - read….
The experience of re - reading a novel hasn’t been my thing. But it’s sure interesting when you do. Especially when you go back and discover your initial reaction to that first read a long while back.
Last year, a fellow reader on Twitter suggested they would like to go back and re - discover the 2017 edition of the Short Story Advent Calendar (SSAC). Published by Hingston and Olsen, based in Edmonton, AB this annual tradition has just completed its ninth edition. A collection of 24 curated short stories, it is contained within a marvel of art in itself.
As an active ‘Completist’, I’m proud to have been able to follow this yearly pleasure since its first edition in 2015. Once each story is read, a small community of fellow advent calendar readers exist to share their take on Twitter. (I refuse to use the new name as it’s shite).
Once again, our merry band of four (Teresa in New Orleans, Barbara in Ontario and Jason located in Phoenix) agreed to take on the 2018 edition.
As ever, it did prove to be more hits than miss. Eclectic and wide ranging, stories included themes of war, fatherhood, Greek Mythology to Teen. Notably mentions include ‘Slower’ Sara Levine and ‘Mister Elephant’ Jessica Westhead, both on self inflicted experiences of being Dad.
Christmas isn’t always a joyous occasion when jobless as seen in ‘Festive’ George Saunders. A teenager experience to women-hood generated a lot of introspection with Suzanne Rivecca’s ‘Someone Steps In’. Which contrasted to a 30something coping with separation in a 20something Toronto with the very humorous ‘Every One of My Answers was a Disappointment’ Doretta Lau.
Probably one of more notable authors here is Kevin Barry, a 2019 Booker finalist with ‘Night Boat to Tangier’. ‘Deer Season’ presented a knotty dilemma of whose the predator between a sexually heightened 17 year old and an older man with mental health struggles.
A double header rounded off this very solid collection with ‘Christmas Eve, 1944’ Luis Alberto Urrea and a 5 page gem ‘The Age of Doubt’ Maile Melody. Both worthy of celebration every year.
A worthwhile experience, re - discovering past editions with others is indeed enlightening. 2018 was a good edition. I look forward to #ssac2019 very soon with my fellow merry band! 9/10
January 26, 2024
Yet another triumph from the H & O crew!
May 11, 2019
Wow this was absolutely epic. I always wanted something to do with books for advent as a kid but a whole book a day seemed unreasonable and all of the books of poetry or short stories were, inevitably, very religious. And I come from a country where the origins of advent have been lost in the materialism of Christmas, so it's very common for children to have advent calendars and come from an agnostic or atheist background.
So imagine my delight upon finding this advent calendar! The website, here, shows you this year's catalogue in detail as well as linking to an interview with the author for each story. Some interviews are made by the publishers and some by literary magazines and both really add a little something extra to each story! The website also gives a really clear idea of the aesthetic of the package. Each book has an exquisitely designed cover and the case is also well-made. So what about the contents? I have a few sentences for each story below and of course there were some I preferred over others but genuinely I loved the variety in subject matter and style as well as the consistent quality in the whole collection. If there's one thing I'd nitpick it's that the vast majority of the stories were from or focused on the US or people living in the US as immigrants. There is so much incredible English-language literature outside of the US so I hope that's showcased more next time, but just a pet peeve. Highly recommended!
==============================================
Book 1 was Sea Monster by Seth Fried. Really liked the concept of this, short and sweet. First line: "In a previous life she'd been a monster living on the ocean floor."
Book 2 was Slower by Sara Levine. My first reaction to this was that it got me very emotional. What a killer of a short story! First line: "When Andrea and I were looking for a condo - for the millisecond we thought we might be able to buy - we mention the Stinn Park neighborhood to our real estate agent, who pushed her purple glasses up on her nose and said, "Stinn Park? You're thinking of Stinn Park? No, no. It's very noisy.""
Book 3 was Endless City by Zachary Mason. I've not read the Odyssey or the Illiad in at least 10 years so I was struggling to remember the scene that this draws from. Mason describes the story as a 'mobius strip of a narrative', which is cool, but I'm just not a fan of the greek tales. First line: "Ignoring his lies, the captain of the guard marched Odysseus through the night and brought him before Agamemnon's throne."
Book 4 was Counseling by Lisa Bird-Wilson. I basically just wanted the protagonist and her counsellor to be a couple and be happy at the end of it. To make me care that much after only 10 pages - another great short story! First line: " "I like to be in charge," I say."
Book 5 was Sunflowers by Bryan Washington, a gay native-American soldier deployed in Afghanistan. I'm not sure I really understood this story because it seemed to imply that the soldier's romantic sensibilities got in the way of him doing his job. But surely, surely, that's not the message the author was trying to send. First line: "Martinez said nothing in-country was as hard as El Paso."
Book 6 was The Glamour of the Snow by Algeron Blackwood, a deliciously creepy vintage tale. Algeron builds suspense like no other. It’s not as good as the Willows but it comes close. And it makes me long for those beautiful, soft billows of snow dunes. First line: "Hibbert, always conscious of two world, was in this mountain village conscious of three."
Book 7 was A Qualitative Study of Our Father by Adam Levin, which is written like a scientific paper. It's an interesting premise but I found it a little hard to follow. First the children examine whether their father is killing the flies for fun and what this means but ultimately draw the conclusion that there is none. A bit odd. First line: "Abstract: Our father - a well-meaning human being, we believe - likes to kill flies."
Book 8 was Festive by George Saunders, an incredibly short story with a powerful punch. In only two-and-a-half double-spaced pages Saunders tackles modern poverty and cultural touchstones of American families. Great stuff. First line: "Dear Diary: Tonight December 8th."
Book 9 was Someone Steps In by Suzanne Rivecca, which takes the form of an extended list. I wasn't really sold on this at the beginning and skimmed it till the tone of the story changed. I understand the point of the story but it wasn't until I'd reached the end and re-read it that I felt it's impact. Could have had less descriptions of kids at the beginning. First line: "We were born in Michigan."
Book 10 was One Gram Short by Etgar Keret. A fun little action-story, this was fine but nothing I'm likely to remember. First line: "There's an adorable waitress at the coffee shop next to my house."
Book 11 was Mister Elephant by Jessica Westead. This was actually the first story I read and I was blown away by it. It's so fantastically brutal. Top 3 of the box. First line: "My former friend is an elephant tamer."
Book 12 was A Clean Break by Danielle Lazarin, and was mostly about legacy bagels. First line: "My mother's father was a bagel baker till his shop burned down."
Book 13 was Every One of My Answers Was a Disappointment by Doretta Lau, which is also in my Top 3. It's so beautifully crafted and human that I felt myself welling up at points. Just look at this first line: "One cold day in June a few years ago - before I learned that ghosts are real without a doubt and that there are so many different kinds of grief - I flew from Vancouver to Toronto." Gold.
Book 14 was Will Evans Save the World? by Ben Greenman, which is about dogs and monotony but mostly about loneliness and is also an incredible read. Opening sentence: "They've got to go."
Book 15 was Snatching Bodies by Rodrigo Fresán, which reminded me from the first line of those girls painting Radium onto wristwatches in the 20's. I liked all of the bits about his father, less the bits about the movie Body Snatchers, which you basically have to have seen to understand this story. First line: "My father glows in the dark."
Book 16 was Two Stories Containing a Mouse by Maria Mutch. Rubies was definitely the better of the two. First line: "Two things I have noticed."
Book 17 was Deer Season by Kevin Barry. Which is a tale of Summer and seduction and kept bringing to mind Midsomer Murders. Great story. First line: She saw him often in the morning and often again around dusk as he walked out by the river."
Book 18 was Strategies Against Sleeping by Liliana Heker, also in my top 3. It's about a woman taking a car somewhere and how she and the driver talk and reveal things about eachothers lives. I am, again, so impressed with the depth of emotion that come out of a few, short pages. First line: "When the time came to leave, Señora Eloísa still considered herself fortunate to be returning to Azul by car."
Book 19 was In This Fantasy by Kim Lu. In some ways, this story is a series of paragraphs almost a list but more developed, leading to punch at the end. Loved this. First line: "In this fantasy, I'm a landlady in the nineteenth century."
Book 20 was Christmas Triptych by Stephen Leacock. These were three, little unrelated stories written in the 1910's and 20's. For the entirety of the first one I had this classic Mid-Atlantic accent in my head and it's great, think Keeping Up Appearances. The second is all about a very good little boy that had me laughing and the third is a Father Time lament to the Great War. First line: "Well, well, here's Christmas time again, and Christmas almost here!"
Book 21 was The One Who Is by Chip Livingston and it's all about a difficult birth. I kind of hated it, sorry. Too visceral and brutal, birth and pregnancy make me anxious as it is so this level of detail was far too much. Also the protagonist jumps to aggression far too quickly. I just didn't like it. First line: "Nona says it feels like the baby has planed its feet on each side of her birth canal."
Book 22 was Returning to the Problem by Eugene Lim. This focused on immigration and not being white in modern America during the Trump presidency in a very subtle way. Loved this. Also in Top 3 (can top 3 exceed 3?). First line: "An irreducible element of the novel is the functionally necessary illusion.."
Book 23 was Legends of the Seoul Dogs by R.O. Kwon. It's basically a fable of the modern age about a young boy (under 15) living with his dad and two dogs, not long after his mother leaves them in the US and moves back to South Korea. Stunning. First line: ""They were first-class killers," his father said."
Book 24 was Christmas Eve, 1944 by Luis Alberto Urrea and it's all about donuts! A very warming story for Christmas Eve. First line: "Bastogne had been snowed in for so long that the soldiers couldn't remember a time they had not been cold."
Book 25 was The Age of Doubt by Maile Meloy and I kind of hated it because the kids were so damned spoilt. Shame it's the last story. First line: "Most of the presents had been wrapped, the milk and cookies were put, and the boys were safely in bed when Laurie saw that two of the stockings were missing."
So imagine my delight upon finding this advent calendar! The website, here, shows you this year's catalogue in detail as well as linking to an interview with the author for each story. Some interviews are made by the publishers and some by literary magazines and both really add a little something extra to each story! The website also gives a really clear idea of the aesthetic of the package. Each book has an exquisitely designed cover and the case is also well-made. So what about the contents? I have a few sentences for each story below and of course there were some I preferred over others but genuinely I loved the variety in subject matter and style as well as the consistent quality in the whole collection. If there's one thing I'd nitpick it's that the vast majority of the stories were from or focused on the US or people living in the US as immigrants. There is so much incredible English-language literature outside of the US so I hope that's showcased more next time, but just a pet peeve. Highly recommended!
==============================================
Book 1 was Sea Monster by Seth Fried. Really liked the concept of this, short and sweet. First line: "In a previous life she'd been a monster living on the ocean floor."
Book 2 was Slower by Sara Levine. My first reaction to this was that it got me very emotional. What a killer of a short story! First line: "When Andrea and I were looking for a condo - for the millisecond we thought we might be able to buy - we mention the Stinn Park neighborhood to our real estate agent, who pushed her purple glasses up on her nose and said, "Stinn Park? You're thinking of Stinn Park? No, no. It's very noisy.""
Book 3 was Endless City by Zachary Mason. I've not read the Odyssey or the Illiad in at least 10 years so I was struggling to remember the scene that this draws from. Mason describes the story as a 'mobius strip of a narrative', which is cool, but I'm just not a fan of the greek tales. First line: "Ignoring his lies, the captain of the guard marched Odysseus through the night and brought him before Agamemnon's throne."
Book 4 was Counseling by Lisa Bird-Wilson. I basically just wanted the protagonist and her counsellor to be a couple and be happy at the end of it. To make me care that much after only 10 pages - another great short story! First line: " "I like to be in charge," I say."
Book 5 was Sunflowers by Bryan Washington, a gay native-American soldier deployed in Afghanistan. I'm not sure I really understood this story because it seemed to imply that the soldier's romantic sensibilities got in the way of him doing his job. But surely, surely, that's not the message the author was trying to send. First line: "Martinez said nothing in-country was as hard as El Paso."
Book 6 was The Glamour of the Snow by Algeron Blackwood, a deliciously creepy vintage tale. Algeron builds suspense like no other. It’s not as good as the Willows but it comes close. And it makes me long for those beautiful, soft billows of snow dunes. First line: "Hibbert, always conscious of two world, was in this mountain village conscious of three."
Book 7 was A Qualitative Study of Our Father by Adam Levin, which is written like a scientific paper. It's an interesting premise but I found it a little hard to follow. First the children examine whether their father is killing the flies for fun and what this means but ultimately draw the conclusion that there is none. A bit odd. First line: "Abstract: Our father - a well-meaning human being, we believe - likes to kill flies."
Book 8 was Festive by George Saunders, an incredibly short story with a powerful punch. In only two-and-a-half double-spaced pages Saunders tackles modern poverty and cultural touchstones of American families. Great stuff. First line: "Dear Diary: Tonight December 8th."
Book 9 was Someone Steps In by Suzanne Rivecca, which takes the form of an extended list. I wasn't really sold on this at the beginning and skimmed it till the tone of the story changed. I understand the point of the story but it wasn't until I'd reached the end and re-read it that I felt it's impact. Could have had less descriptions of kids at the beginning. First line: "We were born in Michigan."
Book 10 was One Gram Short by Etgar Keret. A fun little action-story, this was fine but nothing I'm likely to remember. First line: "There's an adorable waitress at the coffee shop next to my house."
Book 11 was Mister Elephant by Jessica Westead. This was actually the first story I read and I was blown away by it. It's so fantastically brutal. Top 3 of the box. First line: "My former friend is an elephant tamer."
Book 12 was A Clean Break by Danielle Lazarin, and was mostly about legacy bagels. First line: "My mother's father was a bagel baker till his shop burned down."
Book 13 was Every One of My Answers Was a Disappointment by Doretta Lau, which is also in my Top 3. It's so beautifully crafted and human that I felt myself welling up at points. Just look at this first line: "One cold day in June a few years ago - before I learned that ghosts are real without a doubt and that there are so many different kinds of grief - I flew from Vancouver to Toronto." Gold.
Book 14 was Will Evans Save the World? by Ben Greenman, which is about dogs and monotony but mostly about loneliness and is also an incredible read. Opening sentence: "They've got to go."
Book 15 was Snatching Bodies by Rodrigo Fresán, which reminded me from the first line of those girls painting Radium onto wristwatches in the 20's. I liked all of the bits about his father, less the bits about the movie Body Snatchers, which you basically have to have seen to understand this story. First line: "My father glows in the dark."
Book 16 was Two Stories Containing a Mouse by Maria Mutch. Rubies was definitely the better of the two. First line: "Two things I have noticed."
Book 17 was Deer Season by Kevin Barry. Which is a tale of Summer and seduction and kept bringing to mind Midsomer Murders. Great story. First line: She saw him often in the morning and often again around dusk as he walked out by the river."
Book 18 was Strategies Against Sleeping by Liliana Heker, also in my top 3. It's about a woman taking a car somewhere and how she and the driver talk and reveal things about eachothers lives. I am, again, so impressed with the depth of emotion that come out of a few, short pages. First line: "When the time came to leave, Señora Eloísa still considered herself fortunate to be returning to Azul by car."
Book 19 was In This Fantasy by Kim Lu. In some ways, this story is a series of paragraphs almost a list but more developed, leading to punch at the end. Loved this. First line: "In this fantasy, I'm a landlady in the nineteenth century."
Book 20 was Christmas Triptych by Stephen Leacock. These were three, little unrelated stories written in the 1910's and 20's. For the entirety of the first one I had this classic Mid-Atlantic accent in my head and it's great, think Keeping Up Appearances. The second is all about a very good little boy that had me laughing and the third is a Father Time lament to the Great War. First line: "Well, well, here's Christmas time again, and Christmas almost here!"
Book 21 was The One Who Is by Chip Livingston and it's all about a difficult birth. I kind of hated it, sorry. Too visceral and brutal, birth and pregnancy make me anxious as it is so this level of detail was far too much. Also the protagonist jumps to aggression far too quickly. I just didn't like it. First line: "Nona says it feels like the baby has planed its feet on each side of her birth canal."
Book 22 was Returning to the Problem by Eugene Lim. This focused on immigration and not being white in modern America during the Trump presidency in a very subtle way. Loved this. Also in Top 3 (can top 3 exceed 3?). First line: "An irreducible element of the novel is the functionally necessary illusion.."
Book 23 was Legends of the Seoul Dogs by R.O. Kwon. It's basically a fable of the modern age about a young boy (under 15) living with his dad and two dogs, not long after his mother leaves them in the US and moves back to South Korea. Stunning. First line: ""They were first-class killers," his father said."
Book 24 was Christmas Eve, 1944 by Luis Alberto Urrea and it's all about donuts! A very warming story for Christmas Eve. First line: "Bastogne had been snowed in for so long that the soldiers couldn't remember a time they had not been cold."
Book 25 was The Age of Doubt by Maile Meloy and I kind of hated it because the kids were so damned spoilt. Shame it's the last story. First line: "Most of the presents had been wrapped, the milk and cookies were put, and the boys were safely in bed when Laurie saw that two of the stockings were missing."
December 27, 2018
Treat yourself to a short story every day during the frenzied lead-up to Xmas? Yes, please. The stories themselves rarely warranted a five-star rating for me, but the whole design/concept/package gave me a solid five stars of pleasure throughout December.
December 26, 2018
I love the Advent Calendars --- it's fun to have a short story to read each night, and fun to discover new authors.
December 26, 2018
Brilliant and lovely, of course, of course!
December 28, 2018
This is by now an annual tradition for me. I enjoy opening a new story every day not knowing what I am about to read. Some stories are written by known authors, others by brand new authors. Some are Christmas related, most are not. Some are humorous, some are touching, others are dramatic and even sad. In any case, I always find quite a few gems in the box. This year was no exception.
January 1, 2019
A real mixed bag, but the highlights make it absolutely worth it. George Saunders’ story is, unsurprisingly, the standout, and I found a few more authors I’ll watch with interest. I’ll definitely do this next year!
January 1, 2019
This is such a cool idea, and it gets lots of stars just for the originality. I was exposed to a whole bunch of writers I've never heard of, and aside from a few stories that didn't grab me, most were really good. Will do this again!
September 24, 2023
Favorites of this 2018 collection:
Day 1 Sea Monster by Seth Fried
Day 3 Endless City by Zachary Mason (variation on Odysseus)
Day 5 Sunflowers by Bryan Washington (war zone/combat)
Day 12 A Clean Break by Danielle Lazarin (grandfather was bagel baker) "Perhaps thesis what the phone calls are for. Perhaps the calls are the mending. Perhaps they are the miracles."
Day 15 Snatching Bodies by Rodrigo Fresan (not a favorite, but very interesting and definitely hit on memories of the invasion movies of 1950/60s)
Day 21 The One Who Is by Chip Livingston (realism and mysticism, life’s hardships & mishaps, birth and death. Sacrifice)
Day 22 Returning to the Problem by Eugene Lim. Interesting “No one is blankly human. People are dressed. They carry bags, have haircuts. And from these you are able to, even if inaccurately, begin to fill in the blank.”
“a sheath of ice runs over the muscles of the heart when the racists win again”
“In the battle between you and the world, says Kafka, bet on the world.”
Day 23 Legends of the Seoul Dogs Beautifully formed, heartbreaking story. A young boy deals with loss, bullying, loved and protected by his Jindo dogs.
Day 24 Christmas Eve, 1944 by Luis Alberto Urrea. My second favorite story. Battle of the Bulge and Red Cross gals ‘Donut Dollies’
Day 25 The Age of Doubt by Maile Meloy. My favorite story. “She stroked his unruly hair and imagined childhood as a misty ghost in the shape of her older son, slipping out of his body and heading for the door. She couldn’t grab the ghost’s ankle; her hand would pass right through. When it left, it would go for good. She mourned it already.” “ The ghost of childhood hovered in the dark...She felt it watching her, together with the flitting fairy and the spirit of the jolly old elf, as she carried the stockings downstairs.”
Day 1 Sea Monster by Seth Fried
Day 3 Endless City by Zachary Mason (variation on Odysseus)
Day 5 Sunflowers by Bryan Washington (war zone/combat)
Day 12 A Clean Break by Danielle Lazarin (grandfather was bagel baker) "Perhaps thesis what the phone calls are for. Perhaps the calls are the mending. Perhaps they are the miracles."
Day 15 Snatching Bodies by Rodrigo Fresan (not a favorite, but very interesting and definitely hit on memories of the invasion movies of 1950/60s)
Day 21 The One Who Is by Chip Livingston (realism and mysticism, life’s hardships & mishaps, birth and death. Sacrifice)
Day 22 Returning to the Problem by Eugene Lim. Interesting “No one is blankly human. People are dressed. They carry bags, have haircuts. And from these you are able to, even if inaccurately, begin to fill in the blank.”
“a sheath of ice runs over the muscles of the heart when the racists win again”
“In the battle between you and the world, says Kafka, bet on the world.”
Day 23 Legends of the Seoul Dogs Beautifully formed, heartbreaking story. A young boy deals with loss, bullying, loved and protected by his Jindo dogs.
Day 24 Christmas Eve, 1944 by Luis Alberto Urrea. My second favorite story. Battle of the Bulge and Red Cross gals ‘Donut Dollies’
Day 25 The Age of Doubt by Maile Meloy. My favorite story. “She stroked his unruly hair and imagined childhood as a misty ghost in the shape of her older son, slipping out of his body and heading for the door. She couldn’t grab the ghost’s ankle; her hand would pass right through. When it left, it would go for good. She mourned it already.” “ The ghost of childhood hovered in the dark...She felt it watching her, together with the flitting fairy and the spirit of the jolly old elf, as she carried the stockings downstairs.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2018
An annual holiday tradition! I have read all four of the Short Story Advent Calendars since 2015 and I always enjoy being introduced to new authors and genres as well as reading a few seasonal stories close to Christmas. The 2018 advent calendar was an especially diverse collection with stories from a variety of different countries. There was a wide range of styles and characters as well. Highlights for me included "Sea Monster," a tale of past lives, on December 1, "Mister Elephant" about childhood bullying on December 11, the Christmas Triptych of Stephen Leacock stories on December 20 and Christmas Eve, 1944 on Christmas Eve. The advent calendar concluded with a lovely story about the power of belief in Santa on December 25. I look forward to reading the stories in next year's Advent Calendar!
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