Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this collection in exchange for my honest opinions.

As a millennial, my first exposure to Curtis Sittenfeld’s writing was Prep, like so many of us. Over the years, her books have been there for me through some of the most pivotal moments of my life. Man of My Dreams helped me navigate my first real heartbreak in my twenties. Eligible was the light, distracting retelling of Pride and Prejudice that I needed when I was unemployed and feeling lost during the pandemic. Romantic Comedy was the book I stayed up late reading as my world crashed around me facing a cancer diagnosis, offering me an escape into someone else’s life when I needed it most.

I don’t typically read short story collections. But I will devour anything Curtis Sittenfeld writes. And Show Don’t Tell is no exception. These stories are as enthralling as everything else she’s written. She has a way of captivating the reader, even when writing about the most ordinary moments of life, turning them into something deeply compelling, insightful, and unforgettable. Her sharp observations, wit, and emotional depth shine in every story, proving once again why she is one of the best contemporary writers.

This is an easy 5/5 stars. Thank you, Curtis, for embracing that women are your audience and for writing for us. Your stories are my favorite stories.

I really loved this collection of short stories by Curtis Sittenfield. I've been a big fan of her novels for years, and really enjoyed being able to see how she distills her strengths as a novelist into this collection. I especially loved that we got to revisit the main character of <i>Prep</i> which was nostalgic and a nice way of rounding out the collection.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.

To be honest, the 1 novel and 2 short story collections (including this one) that I’ve read from Curtis Sittenfeld in the last couple years have not blown me away. But a million years ago I read her YA novel Prep and it was a favorite for a long time, so when I saw this collection included a story that was essentially an epilogue to Prep, I had to pick it up. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc.

I'm late to the Curtis Sittenfeld fandom, but I feel like I've more than made up for my years of ignorance. I loved, loved, loved this collection of short stories that mostly -- though not all -- focused on middle-aged women who are either divorced or living in stagnating marriages.

It's hard to review a collection of short stories, but I guess I will say that the thread of this collection is Sittenfelds smart and perceptive writing about different times in a persons imperfect life. My favorite was White Women LOL, but I obviously have a soft spot for the Prep follow-up as well.

Very good. Very digestible. I loved Show Don't Tell.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

5 stars.

As always, Curtis Sittenfeld is a delight, beginning to end. I enjoyed every story in this collection, and loved that they were quite different from one another. Recommended for purchase by the Scottsboro Public Library.

Bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld is back with a collection of short stories. These stories explore what it means to be an artist, to be a woman in middle age, to be a parent, to be a friend. These stories are smart and moving and thoughtful, filled with moments from real life.

The collections starts with “Show Don’t Tell,” which tells the story of a young woman in an MFA program wondering if she got a prestigious fellowship for her next year of school. While she goes to a party and finds out who else got fellowships (and who didn’t), she knows that the answer may be back at her place waiting for her in her mailbox.

In “White Women LOL,” a viral video makes a mom’s life a nightmare as she tries to atone for a misunderstanding that was filmed. The woman comes across as entitles and racist, which was not what she meant, but all the other mothers at the school has seen the video and distanced themselves from her. Over Christmas break, she has a chance to redeem herself, but will she be able to?

“The Richest Babysitter in the World” is about a college student who takes on a babysitting job for a pregnant mom. The mom is trying to finish her doctorate, so she hires a babysitter to watch her older daughter. Her husband is working on a tech startup, so most of his time is spent working. At the end of the semester, she moves on, but she never forgets that family.

In “Lost But Not Forgotten,” OG Sittenfeld fans will recognize her character from Prep, as she returns to her school for a reunion.

I was an English major in college, so I was asked to read and dissect a lot of short stories along the way. And honestly, I got really tired of them. But every once in a while, I find a collection of short stories that reminds me of why I fell in love with reading, and Sittenfeld does that here. These stories are insightful and emotional, honest and meaningful. They explore the world of the artist, especially female artists and how they and their work are perceived in the world.

But they also look at lives of women, at friendship, at marriage, at parenting, and at midlife. Each of these stories have weight, so this is not a book to be rushed through. It needs to be savored, mulled, dreamed of, and talked about. I am a big fan of Sittenfeld, and I’m so happy and honored to read anything she writes. This is a book that changes you, for the better, so you see the breadth of the world with a new respect and curiosity.

Egalleys of Show Don’t Tell were provided by Random House through NetGalley, with many thanks.

If you like short stories that you wish were a little longer, with well-developed characters and great writing, you will enjoy this book! Each story stands alone, and the writing is tight. I still prefer the author’s longer works, but I’m glad I gave this book a try! Thanks to NetGalley for providing an early copy!

I've enjoyed other books by this offer but the short story collections always seem to fall short. I think it misses out on important world building and character development. Instead the stories feel stunted and rushed. I would not recommend this collection of stories.

I was very excited to receive an early copy of Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld. Show Don’t Tell is a collection of short stories that are both thought provoking and capture a snapshot of life.

While Sittenfeld is one of my favorites writers, I am usually a bit hesitant to pick up a collection of short stories. To no surprise, each story felt complete and captured the perfect snapshot of a a brief time in life. Both relatable and reflective. I was excited to read the final story Lost But Not Forgotten— a story about Lee, the main character from my first Curtis Sittenfeld book, Prep, which I read almost twenty years ago!

As always, I’ll be first in line to recommend anything Sittenfeld writes. Her novels (and short stories) stick with me. I look forward to what she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an advanced copy of this book!

God I love Curtis Sittenfeld. I would read any of these short stories as novels if she wrote even more. There is such intelligence and humor in her writing. SO many moments I stopped to highlight because I wanted to remember them. I am trying to think of a way that I can summarize these stories, but they really run the gamut. Women of different ages, jobs, means. Everyone's trying to figure out who they are. In the first short story, Ruth is waiting to see if she's won a writing prize, and in order to distract herself from that and her ex Doug, she ends up talking to a misogynistic guy in her writing program named Bhadveer. They get into a discussion about whether or not female writers can be beautiful and successful. She asks him, "Arundhati Roy?" and he says, "Don't pander." I mean. It's hilarious and there's so much there that Sittenfeld doesn't have to say, and it's in the eponymous short story "Show Don't Tell." I just don't know anyone who writes about people with such depth. I loved every bit of this. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I usually do not love short story collections as much as I did this one. Curtis Sittenfeld really has a way of writing, complex, believable, raw, actually human, stories. Every story tackles something that is hard to hear/ understand. I would say this collection is for fans of Jodi Picoult in that it takes on some uncomfortable (for some) and tough topics to talk about. Sittenfeld just writes in a way that easily invests me and keeps me wanting more from the characters. The last couple of stories I didn't enjoy as much but I LOVED the rest. Many of these will stick with me. Would highly recommend if you enjoy Jodi Picoult, Sally Rooney, and the like.

I love Curtis Sittenfeld's writing, that was a reason I requested this book. It is all consuming and crisp. I am not much of a short stories reader so sometimes I have trouble connecting with the stories. Here, I did have a little of that difficulty but I don't believe that's due to Sittenfeld's story writing. The stories that stood out to me were The Richest Babysitter in the World and Creative Differences. The theme of marriage across the stories is something that had me thinking throughout. I am not married and younger than some of the characters in the stories so maybe that lack of perspective is affecting my understanding. I wouldn't say that the viewpoint of marriage came across as cynical, not exactly, but as someone still young and dating it was a little dampening to see depictions of marriage throughout someone's life. Maybe its me being naïve but why couldn't any of the women have depictions of a fulfilling marriage. The happiest was from a man's perspective of a marriage, and I would love to see from a woman's too. What I did like from a woman's perspective is the identity of self and what women want for themselves outside of marriage and children through the stories. Sittenfeld never lets a character disappear which I appreciate.

Rating a 3.5. I don't think I am a short stories person but I did enjoy Sittenfeld's work.

I have been a Curtis Sittenfeld fan since her stunning debut novel, Prep, and was so excited with all the love and attention that she got from Prep, so I was so excited to see her second short story collection was being released. With short stories, Sittenfeld has space to play with her characters in a way she can't in a larger book. The book hooked me when I started laughing out loud at the titular Show Not Tell - only a Sittenfeld heroine would insult an ex-boyfriend using a selectively biting critique of his autobiographical stories, but mixed in with the humorous are the ones who stay with you: Jill from White Women LOL, who maybe thinks might kind of be racist or maybe the whole thing is overblown? Ben from Creative Differences who thinks maybe his job is soul sucking or maybe he just needs to get laid. If Sittenfeld heroes are good are observing the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the world, they are (often deliberately) less focused on self-examination, And after all, when it comes down to it - who does really want to upset the apple cart of their own life?

I've been spending most of my reading time with rom coms and fantasy novels, because right now, it has felt far nicer to be living in another world. But Curtis Sittenfeld's short stories are about protagonists who are feeling just as ambiguous as I am - and feel some of the realest characters I've ever met.

I cannot recommend this book enough.

This is a wonderful collection of short stories, short enough to read each story and move on but deep and detailed enough to fell a connection with the characters of each one. The characters are of different ages and none of the stories are connected but all have humor and characters worthy of getting to know, even if just for a short time.

I'll be honest I read this one because I like Sittenfeld’s writing but I can take or leave short stories usually, especially when they do not tie together. That being said - I loved this one, there was maybe one story I could have skipped but all of the rest had me immediately. I got attached to characters and their stories so quickly and yet was ok when the story ended. This is a collection of short stories for the reader who doesn't generally love them. I wish there had been more of them!

4.25 stars

Thank you to Random House for the ARC to review

These stories drew me in immediately, more easily than i expected. I cared about the central characters, found their voices believable, and just kept reading story after story. I tend to shy away from the genre, preferring to lose myself in novels instead. But I love Sittenfeld’s writing every time, and this was no exception.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy for review.

Curtis Sittenfeld’s Show Don’t Tell is a brilliantly crafted collection of twelve short stories that explore the intricacies of modern life, from the pitfalls of privilege to the quiet turmoil of marriage, friendship, and ambition. Known for her sharp social observations and wit, Sittenfeld once again proves her mastery of character-driven storytelling, delivering narratives that feel both timely and timeless.

The protagonists in these stories—mostly middle-aged, middle-class Midwesterners—grapple with the messiness of life, from professional disappointments to personal reckonings. Whether revisiting Prep’s Lee Fiora at her 30-year high school reunion in Lost but Not Forgotten, unpacking racial dynamics in White Women LOL, or examining the fragile boundaries of gender and power in A for Alone, Sittenfeld effortlessly dissects human nature with humor, insight, and emotional depth.

What makes this collection particularly engaging is Sittenfeld’s ability to turn the mundane into the profound. Her characters navigate awkward encounters, career anxieties, romantic missteps, and social faux pas with a level of self-awareness that is both cringeworthy and endearing. These aren’t grand, sweeping narratives but rather slices of life that feel so authentic they could be your own.

Sittenfeld’s writing remains as sharp as ever—each story is rich with nuance, filled with humor, and tinged with the bittersweet reality of aging and change. The stories don’t always have traditional resolutions, but that only adds to their realism. Instead of neat conclusions, they offer moments of quiet revelation and lingering impact.

For fans of Sittenfeld’s previous work, Show Don’t Tell is a must-read. It’s witty, observant, and endlessly engaging—a collection that cements her place as one of the most compelling contemporary voices in fiction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed many C. Sittenfeld books. This was my first foray into the short story genre and, it turns out, it is not for me. I prefer a full length book with more in depth character development. However, the stories in Show Don't Tell are somewhat interesting, cute, thought provoking. A for Alone was one of my favorites.
So, although this book was not for me I think that a fan of short stories would definitely enjoy it!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I don't usually pick up books of short stories, but I love the author so I figured this was going to be a good one. WOW! I absolutely wanted more, and were so sad that some of the stories came to an abrupt ending. It was so incredibly refreshing to see women in their mid-life being depicted in such a real and honest way. I was not expecting a follow up to Prep, and it was such a pleasant surprise. This is such a great read for someone who doesnt have a lot of time to devour a whole book at once, and I am sure the audiobook is great too!

Curtis Sittenfeld is one of my favorite authors—this short story collection had some 5-star stories and some that fell a bit flat for me. I liked the subtle connection from story to story, and would say the overall line that connected each was about modern life. I’m a huge Curtis fan, and it was fun to see the little glimpses of herself in these characters!!

Fans of Prep will loveeee the final story

This was my first short story collection! Sittenfeld’s writing is incredibly insightful, and brings characters to life in a way that feels really authentic. I enjoyed many of the storylines but felt like some of the endings were a bit too abrupt for my liking (yes, I know.. short stories... lol), but I can see why she’s so beloved and will definitely continue to read more of her work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review and pub day graphic was posted (Instagram, Goodreads, Storygraph) on February 25, 2025. Amazon review posted on February 26, 2025 (links below)