Tabloid Dreams: Stories

Rating:
Summary: engaging
Review: First, in response to some earlier more negative reviews, this piece of work by Butler is not only intelligent but also extremely engaging. For once, forget being academic and inclusive, and simply enjoy the off-beat brilliant creativity that is this book. Of all the stories however, Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot, would have to be my favorite. I don't care if it does or does not live up to certain people's pompous intellectual standards (If you are so snobish as to care then don't buy this book), it is simply a tender and completely heart-breaking story full of compassion, love, humor, and imagination. If you love short stories with a twist, please read this book. If you don't have an open mind... stay away - you don't deserve to experience the wonder of imagination. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING... and so is Mr. Spaceman... I love Butler.

Rating:
Summary: A strong book inspires strong opinions
Review: I was surprised to read some other readers' negative reviews of this book, because I think it's one of the very best short fiction collections I have ever read. But there's no accounting for personal taste, I suppose.
These stories are linked together by a common device --all are based on (real or imagined?) tabloid headlines. Some other readers have felt this is phony and contrived, but I don't see why. You only have to read a couple paragraphs of the first story to realize that Butler's stories transcend and subvert the genre of the supermarket tabloid. These are exquisitely crafted, character-driven stories. Sure, the titles promise a superficial laugh, but the tales themselves portray the deepest joys, hopes, fears and angst of the human condition. That is the irony of the somewhat slapstick titles; the stories are funny in parts, but not in the least bit fluffy.
It occurs to me that maybe it was the use of such "low culture" references as tabloid headlines that made some readers hate this book. Perhaps those readers who pride themselves on reading highbrow literature (Butler is, after all, a Pullitzer prize winner) are offended by any allusions to "baser" forms of writing.
In any case, I recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys good writing, is not a snob, and has a sense of humor. The writing is masterful, the characters are outlandish but fascinating and, for the most part, believable, and the stories themselves are alternately hilarious and heart-breaking. Trust me --this book rocks.

Rating:
Summary: Make A Connection
Review: This collection of short stories is one of the most poignant pieces of modern literature I have ever read. It explores the idea of connecting with your fellow man in an age that is hell-bent on separation. It begins with the story "Titanic Victim Speaks Through Water Bed;" a story about a man who realizes the importance of having a physical being, only after he loses it, and ends with the tale of a "Titanic Survivor Found In Bermuda Triangle." This is the story of a woman who has devoted her life to one cause, and when that cause is gone, she sees that her ceaseless devotion has left her empty and unfulfilled. This collection speaks to all the hopes and fears that live deep within ourselves. After all, who wants to reflect on their life and see that it has all come to nothing? After reading this book, if you do not have a deeper appreciation for your friends and family, you have missed the point entirely. Make that connection and live your life with no regrets.