Nobody Ever Gets Lost

by Jess Row

In Nobody Ever Gets Lost, Row broadens his canvas to take on nothing less than the most important questions of our time, through the eyes of individuals wrestling with identity, religion, co-existence and pain in a world forever changed by terror. In these seven profound and emotionally devastating stories, each touched by the aftermath of September 11, Row moves deftly from the streets of Southeast Asia to leafy boulevards of suburban America and the halls of Washington, D.C., chronicling the small moments, the confusions and betrayals, which push everyday people toward violence and extremism.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

196 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Jess Row is an American short story writer and novelist. He attended Yale University and later taught English in Hong Kong for two years before completing his M.F.A. at the University of Michigan in 2001.

Reviews

[Merl Fluin · Rating 2 out of 5]

42 SHORT STORIES IN 42 DAYS*

DAY 16: The World In Flames
The backpacker mentality is deftly evoked at the beginning, but I found the protagonist's character arc completely unconvincing.

*The rules:
– Read one short story a day, every day for six weeks
– Read no more than one story by the same author within any 14-day period
– Deliberately include authors I wouldn't usually read
– Review each story in one sentence or less

Any fresh reading suggestions/recommendations will be gratefully received 📚

[Drew McCutchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Jess Row via the Pushcart he won for "Sheep May Safely Graze". A story I reread and rerelished on my second read in this collection. I love most of these stories because they manage to distil the concerns, preoccupations, and obsessions of our existing in this time. And because Row manages this with a deft use of language and the kinds of sentences that make me feel so much that's so indescribable.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of the stories in this book contains a character who is a fanatic in some way. The shadow of 9/11 darkens the pages, yet the stories never end the way you think they will, exactly. I really enjoyed reading this, even when it made me uncomfortable, which was fairly often. My interview with Jess Row to come on http://fictionwritersreview.com in May--short story month.

[DilanAc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection. Row does not hesitate to tackle topics that more "politically correct" writers wouldn't go near and I like that. There are a few stories ("The World in Flames", "The Call of Blood") that have strange unpredictable twists in the plot that I thought were overdone, almost as if we were in some type of blockbuster movie that needs to end dramatically. Best stories were "Nobody Ever Gets Lost" and "Sheep May Safely Graze" but all the stories had beautiful openings and drew me in.

[Karen Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, very intelligent. Detailed comments on each story (with possible spoilers) at A Just Recompense.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp, memorable, well-crafted short fiction.

[Katherine Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing writer. His short story, Nobody Ever Gets Lost, will make you cry.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate Row's work more than I enjoy it. I didn't particularly "like" this book, but it raises some fascinating questions and is expertly written. And I do love that Row is keeping the art of the short story alive; these stories (and those in The Train to Lo Wu) remind me of Raymond Carver, and that's a good thing.

[Margaret Adams]

I read both of Jess Row's short story collections ('Nobody Ever Gets Lost' and 'The Train to Lo Wu') back-to-back after having my hair blown back by "Sheep May Safely Graze," his Pushcart Prize winning story. After finishing both of Row's collections, I still think that one story was the best of all of them. If you only read one, read that one, tucked into this collection.