Sorry Please Thank You: Background, no spoilers

[Bretnie]

Welcome to the discussion of Charles Yu's Sorry Please Thank You!

Since this is a collection of short stories, and some are quite short, I'm structuring the discussion by grouping section. Each section will have 3-5 stories that we can discuss at any time, but I'll try to pace it to discuss one at a time in each section.

Who's joining us? Have you read any of Yu's other books? https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Do you read short stories with any different expectations, pace, intent than novels?

[Nadine in California]

I rarely reread, and only novels - until now! That's how much I loved it the first time. I think I've read all of his books - which isn't that many.....yet, I hope.

[Karsten]

I haven't read any of Yu's other books but this book of short stories sounded really interesting.

[Mark]

I "read" it a couple of weeks ago as an audio book, and most of it has evaporated. Sigh.

[Bretnie]

Glad to have everyone join the discussion! Mark, hopefully the discussion jogs your memory!

[Jessica]

I read this many years ago and I don't remember much, I will try to re-read it this week and join the discussion.

[Hugh]

I am not sure whether I will join this discussion but it does look possible to find fairly cheap second hand copies in the UK.

[Bretnie]

Just a general discussion question for people as I'm pondering the book.

How do you judge a collection of short stories? If someone asked you if you liked the book, what's your criteria? 1 powerful story? A handful? They all have to be good?

[Mark]

Bretnie, as to judging a collection, having a couple of stories memorable over years would mark a superior author. Per my earlier comment, Yu would be in the second rank: enjoyable at the time, but nothing I'll be able to recall, unlike the best of LeGuin or Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life."

[Nadine in California]

Bretnie wrote: "Just a general discussion question for people as I'm pondering the book.

How do you judge a collection of short stories? If someone asked you if you liked the book, what's your criteria? 1 powerf..."

I tend to split the difference when I rate a short story collection and give it 3 or 4 stars, depending on the ratio of great stories to good/ok stories. I do find the occasional 5 star, where not a single story goes below very good and more than one is superb - Dance On Saturday is my latest. I gave this collection 5 stars when I read it six years ago, so this reread is a good test!

Lately I've gotten in the habit of having several short story collections going at the same time and reading between them over a period of months, interspersed between novels. I haven't had to review any of those yet, no doubt it will be a challenge. I suppose simply being able to remember the stories will be one criteria. I'm not doing that with this collection though. I'm two stories in and very happy :)

[Bretnie]

Nadine and Mark, I think that's how I judge short stories also. You read them so fast, so only the most powerful ones are going to stick out a year or so later. Although sometimes an overall feeling about the collection will stay with me.

With this one, there are some strong themes of life as a commodity or product or virtual thing that will stay with me. And this perpetual question of how much are we really in control of our lives?

[Nadine in California]

An aside here - Bretnie, your profile picture cracks me up. I need to upload my version, which is a giant yellow paw on the page - "No Read! Play Now!"