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Kate’s 2¢: “The Sorrows of Others: stories by Ada Zhang
“The Sorrows of Others: stories by Ada Zhang
Kristin Allison did a good job of narrating these short stories for NLS. The themes in these stories are probably universal and why this book was so well received.
I became a bit confused in the stories that had fast dialogue, since I wasn’t familiar with the Chinese names. I couldn’t keep up with which were men and which were women. I did, though, enjoy each of the stories.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ada Zhang is an American author. Her debut short story collection, The Sorrows of Others, was published May 9, 2023,[1] which was an honoree of the 5 Under 35 award by the National Book Foundation.[2]
Zhang is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and her work has been published in McSweeney’s and A Public Space,[3] and Alaska Quarterly Review.[4]
The Sorrows of Others[edit]
Zhang’s debut short story collection centers around themes of loss, loneliness, grief, and joy in characters from the Chinese-American immigrant experience. Significant historical ties included in the book are relations to the Cultural Revolution and the Communist movement in China which was led by Mao Zedong from 1966 to 1976.[3]
Zhang wrote one of the first stories in 2015 before deciding to apply to an MFA program in creative writing.[3] She wrote the rest of the collection during the pandemic throughout 2020.
Belinda Huijuan Tang of Literary Hub called Zhang “one of the most skilled short story writers of our time” for her work on The Sorrows of Others.[5]
Booklist called the collection “filled with lost souls aching for connection on both sides of the world” in a starred review.[1]
Yiyun Li wrote that “Ada Zhang is a bighearted and sensitive writer, and these stories… are a triumph”.[1]
The collection made notable mentions across literary platforms including The Millions by Jai Chakrabarti, Ms. Magazine, and Katie Couric Media.[1]
From NLS/BARD/LOC:
The sorrows of others: stories DB116982
Zhang, Ada. Reading time: 4 hours, 28 minutes.
Read by Kristin Allison.
Short Stories
“In New York City, an art student finds an unexpected subject when she moves in with a grandmother from Xi’an, and boundaries are put into question. When a newlywed couple moves to Arizona, adapting to unfamiliar customs keeps their marriage from falling apart. A woman grapples with what it means to care for another, and the limits of that care, when her dying husband returns from Beijing years after abandoning her. And during a rainy summer in Texas, a visitor exposes the unspoken but unburiable history that binds two families together. Ada Zhang writes with startling honesty and love about lives young and old, in a stunning debut that explores what happens when we leave home and what happens when we stay, and the selves we meet and shed in the process of becoming.” — Provided by publisher. Strong language and some descriptions of sex.
Download The sorrows of others: stories
Kate’s 2¢: “Never Lie” by Freida McFadden
“Never Lie” by Freida McFadden
Oh, this is a good one! Leslie Howard did a good job of reading this and I wasn’t able to stop listening until the end. Very well crafted, with ‘a groaner’ for an ending.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification.)
Freida McFadden (born May 1) is an American author and practicing physician specializing in brain injury from New York City.
Biography[edit]
McFadden self-published her first book through Amazon KDP in 2013. Her 2022 book The Housemaid was an international bestseller. A movie adaptation of the book is set to be adapted for Lionsgate with Rebecca Sonnenshine to pen the screenplay, and Hidden Pictures’ Todd Lieberman and Alex Young to produce.[1]
From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Never lie DB117800
McFadden, Freida. Reading time: 7 hours, 23 minutes.
Read by Leslie Howard.
Suspense Fiction
Mystery and Detective Stories
Psychological Fiction
“Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate… with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end. In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance. Tricia plays the tapes one by one, late into the night. With each one, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly unravels. And then Tricia reaches the final cassette. The one that reveals the entire horrifying truth.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
Download Never lie