Those are the longest short stories I've ever read.
I was truly anticipating reading the book until I started reading it. Although some stories were fine, I had a hard time understanding what was happening and felt hopelessly lost in who said what or who was speaking. It wouldn't be that huge of a deal if another half of the problem weren't the lack of engagement I felt reading most of those stories.
Somewhere in the middle of the book, I just gave up and accepted that those stories were going nowhere. To what those stories could be, they are not it. 2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lore Segal definitely has the gift of gab and so do her characters. I often found myself participating in their dialog. Almost as if I were there, reminding them they forgot a detail. Doesn’t that seem so awesomely real. Well that is how LADIES LUNCH is. Jam packed with vignettes. Cleverly designed and created to transport you into these characters’ life.

It often feels like inane conversation. You know the type you have to fill time, but there is a sense of humor and warmth that appears in the dialog between these older folk. They all have a somewhat dubious, questionable connection. And we are often handed bits of their lives when they were students at university. Before and after marriage. And of course their attendance at parties, which for the most part turn out to be Shivas.

Shivas are the respectful visit one pays when someone has died. The period the family reflects on memories, both good and bad. But in deference to the recently deceased and their family the emphasis is on positivity.

For these octogenarians, these memories are segmented into various months and occasions. Some details are as vague as their memory. But usually pushed aside for an interesting revelation.

Lore Segal views these characters with respect and at time reverence. As we age we can often see ourselves or people in our own group much like the ladies who lunch. LADIES LUNCH is a view of these folks’ lives, and their conversations will move you at times in unexpected directions. I am past my prime, so to speak, and each new section pinged a new memory. A lost friend. A neglected relationship. A chart of life.

Reference to the Holocaust was inevitable as some of these older characters faced different realities. Memories can become vague with time and yet many have a life of their own. Scenes of characters seated in a circle looking to find a way to forge some understanding between those that had suffered due to the Holocaust and those related to the cause of the suffering is stark and real. Those of us that had relatives who somehow survived the Shoah can readily identify with the angst in that circle. The dialog hits home. Chills appeared on my arms.

Reading about this time in world history, and yes the entire world had a part in these horrors, is difficult and some would rather it just go away. But then the past creeps into the present and it is inevitable to compare. Lore Segal blends two worlds poetically at times. But there are events, scenes, encounters that will absolutely indelibly change you. Perhaps it is with reference to growing old, some graceful others not so. Or with those that didn’t have that chance.

Not sure if you can call LADIES LUNCH entertaining but rather enlightening and unforgettable. I feel that was the author’s goal. Crafted as a series of short stories Lore Segal serves up a buffet of events that will captivate the reader. I admittedly was brought to tears by the dialog amongst these characters. So real. So important. LADIES LUNCH is an important book, never more relevant than right now.

Beautiful, funny, poignant collection of short stories about women aging in NYC. These stories remind me of my grandmother’s side of the family. I appreciated the humor, the challenges and the endless nostalgia for the experiences of a rich life.

A literary genre all by herself.

This is my first foray into Segal’s literary voice. A cross between Virginia, Wolf and Elizabeth Strout, Segal evokes a tone that is distinctively New York City elite.

Some of the stories felt immensely personal, while others felt a bit distant and antiseptic. One particular story of a woman’s journey through an illness in the hospital felt uncomfortably real and incredibly approachable. others had the continuity of an Alzheimer’s patient trying to navigate Leo Tolstoy.

While I can appreciate the perspective of our incredibly important seniors in society, I felt it odds with the sporadic musings that brought this series of short stories together. I recognize this is quality fiction, yet at the same time I felt that I the material didn’t really resonate with me. Like a Picasso, I don’t necessarily have to like it to understand its quality.

Ladies' Lunch: and Other Stories, by Lore Legal, is a gem worth finding, reading, and keeping. As a rule, I stay away from short stories because as a rule they never quite satisfy. Nonetheless, these short stories made me laugh and wipe away the occasional tear. Segal captures the characters' conversations over lunch as they confront the realities of aging in their seventies, eighties, and nineties. As has been said too often, aging is not for the faint-hearted. In Segal's hands, these women are brutally honest about their fears and frustrations, made palatable by wisdom and style. This is a quick read --less than 200 pages, but it is one that I am expecting to reread. Thank you to NetGalley and Melville House for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. It was a pleasure!

Ladies' Lunch and Other Stories by Lore Segal revolves around a group of friends in their 80s and 90s. While many of the stories have been previously published throughout the author’s illustrious career, a few are relatively newer. Through the course of ten of the sixteen short stories, we follow Ruth, Bridget, Farah, Lotte, and Bessie, friends for over four decades who have a lifetime of memories they share over their luncheons, as they also confront the challenges of aging, loneliness, loss of friends and family, the COVID lockdown and much more. Though the ladies’ luncheons and their discussions form the larger part of the collection, we also get a handful of “other” stories ranging from themes of childhood memories, the Holocaust, age related ailments, and nostalgia.

Insightful, heartfelt and bittersweet, I enjoyed the author’s sharp writing, sparse prose (occasionally, a tad abrupt) and realistic characters. The tone of these stories does tend toward sad and melancholic, but the author injects a steady dose of witty observation to balance the sadness. My rating reflects my opinion of the collection as a whole. While some stories were more impactful than others, overall, I found this collection to be a thought-provoking read. My favorites among the stories were The Arbus Factor, Dandelion, Making Good and Ladies' Zoom.

Many thanks to Melville House Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first I have read of Lore Segal’s writing, but it will not be the last. Her prose is deceptively simple but shows intricate emotions and subtle humor. Ladies’ Lunch is a group of short stories about a small group of elderly women who meet regularly for lunch, rotating between their homes. Their physical and emotional difficulties are frequent fodder, but also discussed are their personal histories, entwined in surprising ways, and gossip about other people and situations. Lore Segal is a magnificent writer, master of minimalist prose with shrouded sophisticated content. The artful humor woven through her words is inspired. At 95 years old, her art form is stunning. What will she gift us with next?
Thank you to NetGalley and Melville House for this ARC.

This book was just not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the ladies’ lunch stories, but the rest of the short stories were okay. Some were fun to read and made me laugh out loud. Others were very compelling, especially Making Good. But overall, I don't think this book was written for me as the audience.

I am so thankful to Melville House Publishing, Lore Segal, and Netgalley for granting me access to this hilariously comical read about the strife of being a woman in a man's world. This baby came out on September 19, 2023. and I'm so thankful.

I like this book. It was interesting how many old people were discussing their lives every time I They had lunch. They would meet in their apartments on the upper west side of new york. There wasn't just anyhow they looked at the life as they aged over the years. The dealt with pictures like falling down and wishes with their families because they wanted them to go into assistant living homes. They felt they were very independent.. One of them was sent to 1 of these homes in upstate New York. Her family since was the best for her. But she really wanted to get Home. So she bought a car for her gransom. She didn't realize Your apartment is being sold. I know it's very lonely But it's a new beginning in life. A new chapter, and you can learn a lot when you're pretty strange and a positive way.. Both discusses a lot of different issues about being old. But I like the stories Because they were very interesting but how people reacted to them. Old people have a lot to say, and we have great memories when they were young. But what interesting when you sit around and listen to them?. I'd like the twist in terms of the stories. Because they all remember to mean who they were when they were younger. Now the aging gracefully in the narrow apartments..

I really had high hopes of enjoying this book of short stories (I would actually more accurately call them vignettes) centered on a group of women near my age. Sadly none of these stories engaged me. Granted they center around several Jewish, long term friends living in New York City and I am a non religious person who lives in a small Oregon town. Nothing in common there although I have loved my visits to NYC. My problem was that not only did I not relate to their lives or experiences as described but they did not excite my interest.

I have never read any of Lore Segal's work and now I am inspired to read it all!
It is hard to capture so much character and emotion in a short story but Lore was able to lure me in to every single one of these 16 short stories.

I felt like I was watching a play while I was reading each of them. The characters are sharp and witty and relatable. You really do feel like you are lunching with them.

I loved reading this and cannot wait to read more.

The beloved author Lore Segal, at 95 years old is a treasure. The book is a work of essays about aging and life in the slow lane. The book has 16 short stories and you will love each one. She helps us see the problems and trials of aging. A good read.

Recently released, Ladies' lunch is a collection of stories told by women in New York who have been friends for a lifetime. A promising premise, I found some of the prattling interesting, and some not quite relatable to me. More importantly though, this novel addresses aging and its difficulties head on, matter of factly which I appreciated.3 stars because often I found myself getting the characters mixed up.

Ladies' Lunch is deft, lightly drawn, powerful short stories about a long-lived group of women who have known one another for decades. The memories, the things that remain unsaid and totally understood, the easy way of maneuvering difficult social situations in New York? Ring as true and bright as any reality, so vivid I felt I knew these women and felt their resentments, regrets, aches, and joy. This is a book that kept me up way too late reading, telling myself "just one more story" because they are that hypnotic, compelling, and enjoyable. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Loved these stories reminded me of my grandmother and her group of women who played Mah Jong and ate lunch together .Lore Segals stories are gems this was a wonderful read for me.#netgalley #melvillebooks

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Although the writing was a little confusing at times, I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy one full of short stories.

If you know anything about me, I consider myself an old soul at heart, so this book really hit home. I grew up being taken care of by my great grandmother and her best friend so this made me think of them. It was also sad to think about what older generations think and talk about as they approach the end of their lives. I loved the story about building bridge and the ladies’ lunch zoom meeting.

Great Author, Great Story, Loved it more than her others. A great book for a lazy weekend afternoon for an escape. Thanks

I chose to read, "Ladies' Lunch", a collection of short stories by Lore Segal, because of the author and the subject matter. How can one not pay attention to a writer who at 95 is still writing? And the subject matter of aging should interest everyone; for aren't we all getting older?

Some of the stories involve a group of women who have shared a lunch once a month over a period of many years. The health of most of the women is a subject of much discussion. Also the moving of one of the women, Lotte, to an assisted living facility is another subject addressed in the stories. Just how are they going to visit her?

I was especially moved by one story about a rabbi who brought together a group of Jews and non Jews in order to bridge the chasm that existed about their views on the Holocaust.

Did I love this book of short stories? I can't really say that I did. But I'm glad that I read it. It was intriguing enough for people of a certain age, to pick it up and enjoy it. Unfortunately, younger people will probably avoid anything that might make them feel uncomfortable. And that will be their loss.

I received an electronic ARC from Melville House Publishing through NetGalley.
Segal's wit shines through this collection of short stories about a group of elderly women who get together less and less as they age. These stories capture aging in its joy and weariness. Readers come with them as they gather for lunch each month and as they reminisce about events in their lives that shaped them. Each story could stand on its own but they are at their best when woven together in the reader's mind to tell the entire picture of these women. You'll find your favorites among them and you'll laugh and then cry as they reveal more about themselves.
She is a master at the light touch with the punch underneath.