Homesick: New and Selected Stories

by Lucia Berlin

Winner of the 1991 Before Columbus / American Book Award "Pain is the subject of these stories, but it is not the maudlin, romantic pain found in fiction issuing from 'Creative Writing Therapy' sessions . . . it has humor, the uneasy, unpredictable humor of a Richard Pryor monologue. With Homesick, Berlin can be judged alonside Raymond Carver, Alice Adams, and Bobbie Anne Mason. She is a remarkable writer, especially on life in the new American West." -Keith Abbott

For this, her first major collection, Lucia Berlin gathered the best of her work from 1960 to 1990, including stories from The Atlantic and Saul Bellow's little magazine The Noble Savage and the immortal "My Jockey," winner of the Jack London Short Prize, 1985.

"There is nothing tentative about the range of statement in these stories. They are about what can be lost and what can be endured. Berlin's characters are often neglected or abused girls, or women with children who struggle to make ends meet while their husbands, absent or present, provide no help. The strength and endurance of these characters, combined with their daily observations about the pain and drama of life, give them the ability to affirm their existence." -Pat Smith

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Berlin began publishing relatively late in life, under the encouragement and sometimes tutelage of poet Ed Dorn. Her first small collection, Angels Laundromat was published in 1981, but her published stories were written as early as 1960. Several of her stories appeared in magazines such as The Atlantic and Saul Bellow’s little magazine The Noble Savage.

Berlin published six collections of short stories, but most of her work can be found in three later volumes from Black Sparrow Books: Homesick: New and Selected Stories, So Long: Stories 1987-92 and Where I Live Now: Stories 1993-98.

Berlin was never a bestseller, but was widely influential within the literary community. She aspired to Chekhov's objectivity and refusal to judge. She has also been widely compared to Raymond Carver and Richard Yates. One of her most memorable achievements was the stunning one-page story "My Jockey," which captured a world, a moment and a panoramic movement in five quick paragraphs. It won the Jack London Short Prize for 1985. Berlin also won an American Book Award in 1991 for Homesick, and was awarded a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Reviews

[Dave Cullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book by one of my favorite authors. (And full disclosure, my mentor, while she was alive. I fell in love with her work first, then her (not romantically). The two are almost indistinguishable. That's Lucia on the page.)

Lucia looked up to Chekhov more than any other writer, for the respect he showed all his characters: whether it was a barmaid or a princess, Chekhov granted them the same dignity, treated them as equals as human being. Lucia took that one step further. She showed tremendous respenct and also affection for all her characters. They were richer for it, and so are we.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lucia Berlin Isn't Homesick"

Try to remember their advice. Believe in what you're doing. Stick with the hard parts. Maria's suggestion; write zines that you don't show anyone. My parents go to their lot on the lake. My dad is addicted to mowing. My mom says she's allergic to pain pills now. But not sleeping pills, not yet. I've stopped watching what she's eating for dinner. Corn, fruit, white rice. Her plate is never dirty. I listen to Maren Morris on repeat. I don't even have the speakers on most of the time. Yeah, I guess, that's my, church. What else to do? Wait for the radio station to start hiring again. Soul revival on the dial. Call it chuuch, play Pimp C at the top of the hour. Call it tabanacle. I've made $400 in two weeks, just like I used to in the city. But I don't have to pay for beer here. I'm spending the money on cigarettes and hair dye and more mood rings and used books. Sending presents to Gina even though she won't answer me. Asked my soul brother what I'm saving for. Those bumper stickers aren't right; it should be who saved whom. She saved her, not she saved she. Reading out of print Lucia Berlin from the university library. None of the books have security tags, but I haven't tested it yet. Can I get a Hallelujah? This is just another thing I wrote about the lord.


"My Church" by Maren Morris

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just some really good short stories. Subjects could be kids, nurses, drug addicts, or even phone operators. A lot of stories take place in New Mexico, but it was a nice surprise that so many took place in Oakland! Such a pleasure.

[Hal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many of these in other collections, but they're still fabulous. Knowing her life story makes the written stories even more gripping.

[Scott Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucia is a genius. More people should know about her. Got reconnected to my emotions through Lucia.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her writing style. Many of the stories in this compilation are also in A Manual For Cleaning Women.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

More great stories by a wonderful writer. Some of the stories were in A manual for cleaning women but they were just as good the second time around.