I apologize but I was unable to get into this book so have not left any public reviews. I am removing older books from my profile and I am sorry that I was unable to read more of them. I will be more judicious in the future about which books I request and will keep up with publishing my reviews.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Dinner Party by Joshua Ferris.

These are a variety of short stories, the first being about a dinner party that doesn't take place. Unfortunately, these essays felt like a stomach ache that wouldn't stop lingering. They were depressing, didn't go anywhere, and full of unlikable characters.

I thought the author did a good job making you wonder what happened next, but overall, I just was not a fan.

Joshua Ferris's first collection of short stories. I was quite looking forward to this, having enjoyed some of Ferris's novels in the past.

Each of the stories in THE DINNER PARTY is a well-crafted, engaging story. The author touches upon many of the misunderstandings of everyday life, as well as the ways in which we try to make sense of our lives (and, perhaps, find a purpose). The stories are often amusing without being mean-spirited, and the characters are well-drawn. Ferris's prose is excellent, of course, and I really enjoyed reading this collection.

Recommended.

It has taken me forever to get through this book. Thankful it’s full of short stories so I was able to break it up into more readable chunks.

I became a Joshua Ferris fan after reading To Rise Again at a Decent Hour, and followed that up with Then We Came to the End, so I was thrilled to see his name on a NetGalley list. Ferris covers the gamut of relationships here, and these stories showcase his ability to create an unnerving level of tension and drama in seemingly ordinary moments. Ferris shines a light on some cringe-worthy, depressing situations; it's not all pretty, but his characters are spot-on. The theme was creative, wrapping itself around all kinds of possibilities for guests — including the uninvited and the ones who don't know when to leave. I am probably not the best critic here because I am such a fan of Ferris' writing; but even if you're not, these stories pack a punch and are well worth your time.


For Goodreads:

Why I picked it — Ferris fan
Reminded me of…Cheever's books - a keen eye, sharp wit and skeptical view of relationships
For my full review — click here

I had to take breaks between reading these stories because they were so depressing.

I have downloaded the file several times and each time it will not open on the kindle. I am sorry I cannot read the book to give any official review. I have still purchased several copies for my library based on the description and the author. Thank you anyway!

I really enjoyed this book of short stories. There are 11 short stories that have enough variety to suit every reader and they are very well written.

This is an excellent set of short snappy stories on the shortcomings of different male protagonists crafted by a writer skilled in dry wit and and deprecating humour. Some of the characters veer towards to unbelievable in places but for the most part this remains believable, relatable and funny.

I requested a collection of short stories by Joshua Ferris from NetGalley months ago (I'm running behind). I was familiar with Ferris from two of his earlier books: "The Unnamed" and "Then We Came to the End." In both cases, the premise was sound but the main plot was rehashed repeatedly until I throttled the book and said: "I've got it. Can we move on with the story now?"

My experience with Ferris's long fiction is what made me excited to read a collection of shorts. He's a witty writer who goes for dark humor (which I like). My hope was that the limited page count would leave room for his originality but not his tendency to wax on. Yet most of the stories in "The Dinner Party" follow a similar arc despite the range of subjects.

Adding to the repetitive feel is that most of the stories examine a deeply-flawed or unhappy person and the same flaws keep cropping up: insecurity, self-loathing, dishonesty, and an inability to connect with others. The actual writing is quite good; whenever I thought I might set the book down permanently I'd run across a little gem. Ferris can put his finger on a thing/emotion exactly and make the reader feel it with surprising clarity.

The highlights for me are:

"The Dinner Party"
One couple waits on the arrival of another for a dinner party. The longer they wait, the more it seems like the other couple is staying away for their own reasons. Because it's first, its hooks and twists are the most effective in the collection. It sets the tone for those that come after.

"The Pilot"
An insecure writer is invited to a party thrown by a successful acquaintance. He wonders whether he was invited intentionally or accidentally and, to cope, he hides behind an alter ego and tells everyone that his pilot is almost finished. The tension that comes from his writhing insecurity and problematic drinking is skin-crawling. Come to think of it, most of this collection is uncomfortable so it stands to reason the best stories are those that nail discomfort most efficiently.

"More Abandon, or Whatever Happened to Joe Pope"
Points awarded for absurdity. "More Abandon" follows another self-loathing man, Joe Pope, as he leaves an embarrassing series of voicemails on a coworker's phone. He then explores the empty offices in his building and does a little redecorating...

Overall: 3.5  Ferris can write and he’s a little more interesting than average so "The Dinner Party" can’t slip below a three even if the redundancy is tiring. Many of these stories were originally published in The New Yorker---which makes sense, they have that New Yorker vibe---and they'd be better if read months apart instead of in a collection where their similar themes and tones are obvious.

NB: This book was provided for review by the publisher, Little, Brown and Company (via NetGalley).

I have loved all of his books I've read. They're weird and interesting and I appreciate the elements of realism. And I felt that way about some of the stories in this collection but after awhile they all felt like a rehashing of the same story and it became repetitive and uninteresting. However. Any book that pays homage to Coach Taylor is okay by me.

Joshua Ferris is a very polarizing author: people either love him or hate him. I fall into the latter camp. I have read everything of his I can get my hands on and have always been satisfied by the quirky voices I find within the pages of his novels. When I read he had a book of short stories, I was elated yet hesitant... I mean, short story collections usually have a handful of favorites and quite a few duds, but I was not disappointed by Ferris. Each and every story delivered the unexpected elements I have come to expect and continue to love in his work.

Ferris is one of the best American fiction writers alive and this short story collection while not really showing anything new stylistically manages to maintain a level of quality that many male literary authors have failed to maintain

I loved the premise and blurb of the book, and it did not disappoint!
Every page was a delight and I was hooked more often that not.
Will be looking out for future work by Ferris.

This is the first time I have read anything by this author. However, reading this collection of short stories, I was quickly reminded of writers like Raymond Carver and Richard Russo. Just as those two skillful writers, Ferris, also, has the ability to dive into his characters neurotic minds and reveal to us the struggles they endure as they try to connect with other humans. Some writers fail at this but Ferris, impressed me enough to make me look for more of his work. Such beautiful and raw writing.

I've enjoyed books by Ferris before, but unfortunately, the stories in this collection just didn't connect with me. The characters were unlikable and the prose was unnecessarily difficult. This wasn't for me.

I did not finish the book. It wasn't my kind of thing, unfortunately

Like all short story collections this was hit or miss. Good storytelling but not something I would recommend.

I love short stories, but these left me cold. Too rambling, going nowhere, and when finally arriving at the end I was left with wondering why I bothered to take the journey at all.

Enjoyably written but unpleasant stories about pathetic men. Love is generally lost and the narrator a jerk.