Delicate Edible Birds and Other Stories

By: Lauren Groff

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

Lauren Groff presents nine stories of astonishing insight and variety, each revealing a resonant drama within the life of a 20th-century American woman.

In "Sir Fleeting", a Midwestern farm girl on her honeymoon in Argentina falls into lifelong lust for a French playboy. In "Blythe", an attorney who has become a stay-at-home mother takes a night class in poetry and meets another full-time mother, one whose charismatic brilliance changes everything. In "The Wife of the Dictator", that eponymous wife ("brought back...from [the dictator's] last visit to America") grows more desperately, menacingly isolated every day.

In "Delicate Edible Birds", a group of war correspondents - a lone, high-spirited woman among them - falls prey to a brutal farmer while fleeing Nazis in the French countryside. And in "Lucky Chow Fun", Groff returns to Templeton, the setting of her first book, for revelations about the darkness within even that idyllic small town.

In some of these stories, enormous changes happen in an instant. In others, transformations occur across a lifetime - or several lifetimes. Throughout the collection, Groff displays particular and vivid preoccupations. Crime is a motif - sex crimes, a possible murder, crimes of the heart. Love troubles occur in every story - love in alcoholism, in adultery, in a flood, even in the great flu epidemic of 1918. Some of the love has depths that are understood too late; some of the love is shallow and also understood too late.

And mastery is a theme. Groff's women swim and twirl batons, become poets, or try and try again to achieve the inner strength to exercise personal freedom. Overall, these stories announce a notable new literary master. Dazzlingly original and confident, Delicate Edible Birds will further Groff's growing reputation as one of the foremost talents of her generation.

©2008 Lauren Groff (P)2009 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"Groff's skill makes commonplace occurrences seem compelling." ( Kirkus)
"Nine wildly unique, exquisitely symphonic tales, full of beauty, tragedy, and the sudden horror of shocking images - this is Groff's gift." ( Library Journal Starred Review)

Lauren Groff is amazing!

I totally heart Susan Ericksen for her wonderful reading of each of Groff's stories. They were all amazing to hear and listen and read along and what a journey Ericken can take one with her voice. Lauren Groff's stories truly come to life! Just so wonderful and the best audio version of a book that I've purchased so far. I hope she ends up narrating more short story collections... appreciative fan for life!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you :)

Interesting

An interesting collection of short stories. Many took place near where I grew up in NY. Some were more meaningful than others. She is a very descriptive writer.

Some stories great, others so-so

I liked the first story best, when the author stretches away from this time period her stories become a bit too theatrical. I did enjoy the story about the Olympic swimmers however, and I love the writing. Narration is great. I loved Fates and Furies, and some of these stories are on par with the overall quality of that fabulous novel. I could not finish the last story, that is why I am rating this three rather than four stars.