Magic realism flickers about in Jeffrey Feingold’s superb short story collection There Is No Death in Finding Nemo. Witness a box gifted to a woman by “a sylphlike stranger” that emits a strange blue glow; a wheat-making machine that can end world starvation; an aging, bloated dermatologist who looks in his mirror and sees an Adonis figure. Beyond the mystique are seven meaningful works, some with old world airs. In ‘Rich Girl’, David and his Gwen Stefani-singing teen daughter go visit his grandfather Aleksey, a Ukrainian Jew suffering from dementia in a bleak nursing home. Once in the room, Aleksey, reliving not his good years in America, but his trauma as a child hiding from the Cossacks, thinks they’re there to kill him. The contrast of generations – of time passing and things lost – is stunning. “Each generation more American, until there was nothing of the old country left.”

   - Frances Park, award-winning author of The Summer       My Sister Was Cleopatra Moon 

"Atmospheric and intriguing, these short stories hide sinister implications beneath everyday realities ... choices are made and promises are broken; unsolicited advice is given; traumatic memories resurface. Still, there are also fleeting moments of joy. The prose is atmospheric throughout the book."

     – Forward Reviews

Feingold develops a series of sublime characters in these tales.

In “The Loneliest Number,” for instance, Irina regularly sees a therapist but, for at least a couple of years, preferred that her doctor never mention her diagnosed bipolar disorder; Irina is also a classical pianist who sees colors in music and calms herself down by running through names of dead celebrity women who also suffered from bipolar disorder. Religion, especially Judaism, is a common theme that further grounds the stories in real life; in “Rich Girl,” accountant David, for example, belongs to a Jewish family that’s becoming less devout with each passing generation.

A few characters pop up in more than one tale, including zany wife and husband Mary and Phil. As a supporting character, Mary offers telephonic advice to one of her sisters while simultaneously dominating an argument with her mostly ineffectual spouse. They lead their own story in the collection’s last and shortest offering, “There Is No Death in Finding Nemo,” which finds them in their weirdest squabble yet. Feingold’s concise prose generates succinct narratives and vivid images; Francine even sees memorable sights on a dating app, such as a “grizzled man in a plaid flannel shirt, sitting on the hood of his red pickup truck, flashing a yellow smile.” Other narrative details are often clever or playful, as when David goes to see his grandfather, who has dementia, in a Boston nursing home; their dialogue is intercut with a movie playing on TV—effectively fostering the impression that Rock Hudson and Doris Day are part of the conversation ... profound tales featuring colorful imagery and accessible characters.

         - Kirkus Reviews

A short story collection that depicts protagonists whose seemingly mundane lives change in surprising ways as they step into a realm of the fantastic.

Jeffrey M. Feingold’s THERE IS NO DEATH IN FINDING NEMO is a collection of stories focused on gifted individuals – from intellectuals and doctors to classically trained musicians. Despite their knowledge or brilliance, these characters deal with the same problems as everyone else: loneliness, low self-esteem or the vagaries of old age.

Frequently, there is a surreal twist to a story. What makes them great is their nebulous nature. Sometimes they are real. At other times, they exist solely in the protagonist’s mind. This makes the stories delightfully unpredictable. The author does a great job writing tales that are funny and emotionally engaging.

“The Narcissist’s Library” tells a story of a manipulative pick-up artist who gets a well-deserved comeuppance. “The Loneliest Number” follows a bipolar concert pianist struggling with crippling stage fright. At other times Feingold hits hard. His short story “Rich Girl” starts rather mundane, only to irresistibly move towards a devastating, haunting ending ... it is hard not to be charmed by this collection. The stories are a breeze and can be read in a single evening. They may vary in tone but are never dull. There's giddiness to the collection – a distinct impression that the author enjoys writing. Feingold loves wordplay and frequently places his protagonists in almost farcical situations. And yet, it feels as if the author takes his characters – their hopes, their fears, their longings – seriously. 

IR Verdict: Stories in Jeffrey M. Feingold’s THERE IS NO DEATH IN FINDING NEMO are sometimes poignant, frequently hilarious, and almost always surreal.

         - IndieReader

Five star rating.

         - Readers' Favorite

IndieReader Approved Rating.

         - IndieReader