This wonderful short story collection should be on everyone’s 2025 TBR. I enjoyed reading about the slices of life and relationships in each of these stories.

I will never get over how excellent Sittenfeld is at characterization. This collection is even better than You Think It, I'll Say It—which I loved! She has such a fantastic sense of humor and empathy for her characters. Will be buying this for my mom and sisters, like I do each Sittenfeld book. She's truly an author you can read and reread to admire how brilliantly simple her stories seem, only to realize the complex construction at the heart of each one.

I'm typically not a huge fan of short stories, but I loved this collection! Curtis Sittenfeld has a way of making the characters come to life in the short pages. The characters in each story are relatable and likeable. The stories offer insight into life, relationships, and family. Overall a very enjoyable short story collection!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Random House for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This a series of well-written short stories, mostly set in the midwest about women in the post-pandemic world living in their 40s and 50s. There are 12 stories, each different but all authentic, vulnerable and engaging. They tackle themes of relationships/marriage, friendship, fame, and ambition. There is also a sequel to Sittenfeld's novel "Prep," except 14-year-old MC Lee is no longer a teen starting at boarding school but there are familiar characters.

Curtis Sittenfeld is a literary icon. I would read her most discombobulated and unorganized chicken scratches left on a used hotel napkin and find myself identifying with it and chuckling to myself while nodding. No matter the character, no matter the scenario, Curtis Sittenfeld knows how to write.

Admittedly I am not a huge fan of short story collections but I decided to throw caution to the wind and let this one happen given who wrote them. I’m quite glad I did. If you’re expecting the same vibe as Romantic Comedy or Prep, it’s not. (Though the main character of the latter does feature here, years later!) And I realized as I progressed into the collection that I had to take a break in between each story as they started to blend together in my mind.

Everything about these stories feels real. These characters are people you know. These places are where you have been. These plots are things that could, or may have, happen to you. In essence, no one is safe because you’ll inevitably find yourself somewhere in these pages. Of course, I do hope no one I know is the woman who finds herself the subject of a viral video in which she makes an extremely uncomfortable racially motivated social faux pas. (But that one was totally my favorite story because I wanted to see how she would be held accountable for her actions!)

This is not a fast-paced drama. This is not a heartfelt comedy. This is not a book to be binged in a weekend. This is a book to savor and to connect with. It is a collection of “slice of life” stories that speak to who we are.

That being said, do I prefer the author’s novels to short story collections? Yes. But that’s more about a preference for format and less about the merits. Because this book certainly has them in spades.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A delightful book of very entertaining short stories. They are all similar but with different characters except for the first and last stories. Something to read when you need to escape from a stressful situation. This author tells a good story. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Curtis Sittenfeld is back with Show Don't Tell: Stories, which is her second short story collection. In this assemblage, she rummages through deep topics such as relationships (all kinds), fame and celebrity, artistic aspirations, and inner purpose. The intelligence and humor that Curtis brings to each story is unparalleled. She is such a smart writer to follow yet brings a certain aspect of tenderness to all of her characters (including those who are not very likable) that is rarely found in this sort of storytelling.

Each tale is unique in what is happening, and even when. Each story is so thought-provoking, and in my case, deserving of a bit of a break after each ended so that I could digest what I had just read. That is part of the beauty of a format like this; when you pick back up you don't feel as if you've missed anything.

If you are a past fan of Sittenfeld's work, one story includes a former character, Lee, from the novel Prep. These nuggets of intentionality are so delightful to readers who are familiar and curious about 'what ever happened to ...'.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Sittenfeld's work, or who enjoys an intellectual, humorous, and sensitive take on life.

Thank you so much to Random House, NetGalley, and Curtis Sittenfeld for the opportunity to read and review Show Don't Tell with my honest thoughts and opinions. Eternally grateful!

I love how smart, incisive, and sincere this author is. I've read and enjoyed a couple of her previous novels. She brings the same to this short story collection. Her work is dense... there's a lot to unpack and it takes longer for me to read than some of the other things I usually read. But, it's very much worth it. Readers who enjoy her novels should enjoy this collection.

After reading this collection, I felt like I'd just left the company of an old friend (and by that I am describing a longtime, honest, self-aware friend who is not afraid to be vulnerable). I feel like I've grown up with Curtis Sittenfeld and I am positive that a lot of readers feel the same way (especially if they've been a longtime reader of the author -- starting with PREP (which is revisited in this collection - such an exciting bonus for a longtime reader).

I loved the "woulda/coulda" reflections in many of the stories; the things we did or did not say (and do) that still haunts (or thrills) us decades later. That's a perfect example of what I mean by growing older (and wiser!) in this collection.

A lot of themes and topics are covered within the twelve stories here: LOTS of growing up, growing older, parenting, nostalgia, consequences of the pandemic, all manners of relationship(s), divorce, and new love. I found all of them relatable but I am "that" reader who already relates (which is why I requested the ARC).

I wholeheartedly recommend this collection to anyone who falls into the above "pool" AND anyone who loves a well-written short story. Curtis Sittenfeld is an enormous talent and these poignant stories are unique and worthwhile (and in my opinion hopeful)! Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse for the ARC of "Show Don't Tell." (out in Feb 2025).

This was a delightful short story collection! I had only read one of Curtis Sittenfeld’s books before (Romantic Comedy) so I didn’t really know what to expect going into this. All of the stories were so well written and engaging, I liked how each story slowly unraveled to reveal their secrets and how different they all were. I also liked how the stories were told across different time periods and settings. They were also perfect to read in several sittings and really sold me on short stories as a genre. Definitely one I will be looking to re read when it comes out!

Really enjoyed the short story formatting for a change of pace and the focus on different elements of women’s lives.

I do not love short stories, but I read collections about once a year, hoping I'll like them more. So when I had the opportunity to read a collection by one of my favorite authors, I took it. I still didn't love Sittenfeld's stories, but this book was probably my favorite short story collection. Most main characters are middle-aged women, remembering pivotal incidents from their adolescence or young adulthood...which of course no one realizes are pivotal until hindsight and maturity kicks in.

It's always worth it to read something interesting and well-written, even if it's not my usual fare. I'm glad I invested the time.

I’m not generally a fan of short stories, but I am a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld so I definitely wanted to give this one a try. As usual with me and short stories, some were better than others. As a whole though, I found the collection enjoyable and thought-provoking.

Loved this book of short stories and what a fun bonus the last story was. Even though I had read these stories, or some of them, in various magazines, they didn't disappoint on a second read.

Curtis Sittenfield proves why she's an auto-buy for me. Each of these short stories suck you in and bring you directly into the characters' circumstances with palpable emotion. With characters I loved and those I loved to dislike, she wrapped me up into each story, and left me wanting just a little bit more! Definitely a fun read, perfect for when you just have a little time to read and want a great story.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an advance copy of this new collection of short stories that encompasses the emotions and feelings we all share, though sometimes we show them inappropriately, or use them as weapons against others.

Writing short stories takes skills that many creators, even one's known for the their ability, find hard to master. One gets used to a crutch that length gives a writer, that one can meander to the denouement, and than take time to explain the ending, or how we as readers got there. It takes a keen pen to make a short story, create a situation, create characters one feels for, and come to to an ending, that might not answer all the questions, but gives the reader a sense of where things might go. Curtis Sittenfeld is very good at this. The characters seem real, as do the reasons, even the reasons seem a little extreme. And while these are not fables, and the endings are not morals to live by, one gets a sense that life is not as easy as people say it is, and that everything, even the little acts can be made difficult. Show Don't Tell is a collection of stories about people doing what people do, trying to get by, and stay out of their own way.

The book is a collection of 12 stories. Some deal with relationships, either ones that have grown stale, or have grown apart for various reasons. One deals with a question about men being around women, and if men and women can have friendships and work relationships without people making it weird. This story grew on me. There is a sequel to one of Sittenfeld's novel, a look ahead in the life of the character in Prep, attending the reunion of these characters. A story deals with health, and having love, but not knowing what to do with it. Some of the characters are ones that almost demand a bigger story. Some are difficult people who will remind readers about long lines in stores all due to someone wanting to see a manager.

Sittenfeld has a skill in not being afraid to write about characters who are not easy to know, or that one would not want to know. Sittenfeld really puts readers in their heads. While the reasons for people doing things is strange, and maybe a touch fictional, one gets the motivations. The endings of some stories are ripe for interpretations. A few might complain about a feeling that the stories are truncated, but I don't think so. Readers are asked to fill in the blanks, based on the reader's own experiences, to have the author do it would be wrong. As with any collection some stories might seem too long, or too short, or just don't hit well with the reader, though I found that I enjoyed pretty much everything.

A good collection of stores with a lot of different themes. This might be a good introduction ot the works of Curtis Sittenfeld, though people do have problems with short stories. A very good collection, and one that makes readers long for the next novel Sittenfeld will write.

No one writes short stories like Curtis Sittenfeld and her latest collection does not disappoint. The stories explore motherhood, marriage, friendships and she creates realistic (not always likeable) characters making tough choices. It's obvious she understands people and that really shows in this book.

I love everything Curtis Sittenfeld writes and this is no exception.

Every story is entertaining and interesting.

Especially loved revisiting Lee Fiora, the main character in Prep, her boarding school novel. (Which is fabulous!)
Lee goes to her 25th school reunion with hilarious happenings.

I think this is more of a me-problem than an issue with this book itself - this just wasn't the right book for me. I struggled with the short stories because they seemed to lack depth (understandably - they are "short" stories) and the character/plot development is what really holds my attention when I'm reading. The stories felt too choppy for my personal preferences because they moved so quickly. I'd definitely still read other books written by this author in the future, would just steer clear of more "short story" formats.

Every now and then, I like to read a book of short stories as a kind of literary palate cleanser.

Curtis Sittenfeld's characters are a delight to "meet," and each of the stories contained in the book opens up a different world to discover.

The stories touch on a variety of topics, including dating, racism, challenges in parenting, and adult female friendships.

They were all interesting and I enjoyed reading the book very much!

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #showdonttell