Absent Friends

by Frederick Busch

Presents a varied collection of fourteen stories that range from a writer's attempt to come to terms with his past to the kidnapping of a doctor's estranged wife

Genres: Short Stories

278 pages, Hardcover

First published April 8, 1989

About the author

Frederick Busch (1941–2006) was the recipient of many honors, including an American Academy of Arts and Letters Fiction Award, a National Jewish Book Award, and the PEN/Malamud Award. The prolific author of sixteen novels and six collections of short stories, Busch is renowned for his writing’s emotional nuance and minimal, plainspoken style. A native of Brooklyn, New York, he lived most of his life in upstate New York, where he worked for forty years as a professor at Colgate University.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.....I found these stories odd and rambling. As stated by other reviewers, at times the author starts out with such random information that you are left with a puzzle you try to solve as you go along. I had so enjoyed the novel Girls by the same author, I was quite disappointed in this short story collection.

[Jonathan Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going back and forth between three and four stars. This is the first book I've read by Busch, who I had as a professor my senior year at Colgate. I've been meaning to read oen of his books for years. The stories were either very good or seemed like a sketch of a story. And I do realize that in all short story collections, some stories are going to be better than others.

In all of them, the writing is excellent. But some of the stories left me thinking: That's it? Where's the rest of the story? Did I miss something? Were there pages stuck together? And some of the stories just made me think, "Am I stupid for not understanding the story?" A lot of the stories just sort of ended, as if the author felt bored with the story and decided to end it randomly.

One of the other reviewers mentioned that some of the stories felt like a mystery or a puzzle to be figured out, and I agree. The story "North" begins with dialogue that I have no idea what it was referring to or why it was important to the story. I read it twice.

The best stories were the ones that felt the most complete, such as "From the New World," "Ralph the Duck," "Reruns," and "To the Hoop." The first two stories listed are the first two stories in the book, so they set up the book with high expectations. But then when I got to third story, "Comrades," I was, like, "Huh?"

I definitely want to read more by Busch, and perhaps this collection wasn't the best book for someone who hadn't read his work before to start with. I do have to emphasize how great the writing is, itself.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this anthology of fourteen stories, Frederick Busch explores how individuals deal with the missing parts of their lives, whether they attempt to rediscover it, to move past it, to be crushed by it or to move on to discover something else to take its place. In the first story, From The New World, a man deals with the fact that his family will never accept the woman he loves and will try to control him even from beyond the grave through their money and influence. In the last story, To The Hoop, he deals with a man and his son who are dealing with the aftermath of their mother and wife committing suicide and choosing to leave them. Between, the dozen stories talk about loneliness, the aching to belong and the lengths individuals will go to in order to fill the voids in their lives.

Frederick Busch is known as an author's author; he is respected by those who know writing and are amazed at his ability to eloquently outline the human condition. He has written several anthologies and several novels such as The Night Inspector or Girls. This fifth book of stories is dedicated to Reynolds Price, another author who falls in the same category of a writer admired by other writers. Busch was a professor of literature at Colgate University and a winner of the 1991 PEN/Malamud Award for short stories. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourteen short stories of missing, exiled, kidnapped people are presented by the author. Many take place in my neighborhood, Upstate New York. Estrangement abounds and occasionally redemption. I enjoyed these stories a lot.

[R.K. Cowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 3/4 stars

[Clifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Busch was a master with dialogue. Study this.