Table for Two

I don't often read short stories, but I'm such an admirer of Towles' novels (Rules of Civility, Gentleman in Moscow, Lincoln Highway) that I couldn't resist this collection. There's a wonderful old-world formality to these stories––such a nice change from the gritty crime fiction I often read. The characterizations are so rich and true that the people come alive in only a few short passages. Many of the stories end with an ironic twist or observation that's almost reminiscient of O'Henry.

Such an enjoyable fiction collection! This is a book to learn from and appreciate. Reading it will enrich your life, which is something one can only say about the best literature. Amor Towles is a masterful storyteller. The writing is clear and unassuming and each of the narratives is dramatic, well-paced, and solidly built. Towles doesn't rely on cheap effects and there is so much quiet wisdom in these stories. The best thing about them is the characters, however: sympathetic, plausible, complex people whom the author presents fairly and without judgement, and whom, by the end of each story, you… show more.