I have a massive soft spot for collections of short stories, and they are hard to find these days.
The writing here is excellent and the characters really come to life

The stories were OK - I think maybe because to me they all felt disjointed I just couldn't get through them. Also, some I liked way more than others and wished for longer versions.

The characters in The Archivists are everyday people, but when private losses or the shocks of history set their worlds reeling, they find connection and liberation in surprising, buoyant ways. Winner of the Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction, this vibrant collection brings transcendence, wry humor, and a touch of the uncanny to life’s absurdities and catastrophes—whether the 2008 economic crash, fallout after the 2016 presidential election, gentrification, pandemic lockdown, illness, or the intergenerational impacts of the Holocaust and Communist occupation of Eastern Europe.
A hardheaded realist is confronted by both her mortality and a would-be wizard. A thirteen-year-old girl in 1950s Toronto infiltrates the ranks of Bell Canada. A ninety-nine-year-old woman appears to be invincible. A group hikes in Germany, and a solitary woman is pursued on a walk in New Mexico. These deeply moving stories ingeniously consider issues of identity, history, and memory and our shared search for meaning in an off-kilter world. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For more reviews and bookish pots please visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

The Archivists: Stories by Daphne Kalotay is a collection of 12 short stories, taking place between 2008 and the COVID era. Ms. Kalotay is an award-winning published author and educator.

I’m not a big fan of short story collections, but I’ve previously enjoyed works by Daphne Kalotay so I figured I’d give it a shot. The stories in The Archivists focus on relationships after some sort of a life-changing event has happened. These events could be something personal, like crumbling relationships, or a worldwide pandemic. Most, if not all, of the stories, show the characters attempting to pick up their lives after a loss.

These stories are well-written and are different from one another. They do not take place at the same time, or place, with nothing connecting them like other collections I have previously read. These stories, however, are certainly relatable.

Each story has its own depth and consistent narrative. Even though these are short, they are full of insight, not only into the characters’ experiences, but they are cognizant of the experiences of those around them.

I thought the stories which dealt with grief and loss were very interesting, but there’s one that captured my attention. This was about a Holocaust survivor and the passing on of trauma to future generations. Whether this is genetic, psychological, or both are currently being studied and I, for one, find the subject extremely interesting.

Since this is a collection of stories, giving the book a star rating is really not applicable. I did really enjoy reading it, much more than I tough I would.

I am not usually a fan of short story collections, but this cover is so beautiful it immediately caught my eye. Though we are not supposed to judge books by covers, I'm glad I did! I enjoyed this very much and look forward to seeing this author in the future.

This collection of short stories by Daphne Kalotay was a welcome break between longer books. I typical use short stories as sort of a palate cleanser between novels, and it's a treat when a short story collection holds up and I find myself reading more than just one at a time!

The works deal with grief and loss and carry some weight, while still having some amusing moments. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Northwestern University Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Archivists releases April 15, 2023

This is a collection of 12 short stories, all with themes surrounding loss, grief, or some sort of mental health.

We meet a large variety of characters with a wide array of experiences — some whose clients are all holocaust survivors, some dealing with the loss of a family member or friend, one woman who underwent chemo treatment, a man who once was an instructor of an online writing course, a girl who had a seizure which opened up her eyes to love, etc.

“A Guide to Lesser Divinities” and “Three Times Two” were two stories that stood out to me in terms of the writing.
I really enjoyed seeing the ties between “Heartscalded” and “Egg in Aspic”, where we accompanied Laurel on her first date, who was also grieving the loss of Viv from “Heartscalded” from the reminder of the time when they set up her dating app together.

Overall this collection had a pretty cohesive narrative and each story had depth.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Whenever I review short stories, I start off with the disclaimer that I don’t usually read short stories. But recently, I’ve been delving into more of them, so I was pleased to be able to review The Archivists: Stories by Daphne Kalotay.

This is a thoughtful collection of stories dealing with life-changing events and moments in largely realistic contemporary settings. (There is a hint of the magical or surreal in a few, but mostly, they are realistic.) The stories have varied settings and do not interlink, but deal with everything from reactions to the pandemic to a second date where one must eat egg in aspic.

The characters are deftly portrayed and I found myself emotionally invested in each of the stories despite the brevity. They are beautifully written, dealing primarily with complex relationships. They are moving rather than depressing.

The book is recommended for short story fans and for those who dip into the literary form only occasionally.

This collection of short stories is going to be a great book for some. I am an archivist which led me to want to read this book. It didn’t really keep my attention but I am still thankful for the opportunity to read it. Thank you NetGalley!

This beautiful collection of 12 short stories poignantly captures the private calamities of individual life. In these stories we see characters suffering from the generational fallout of the Holocaust, the death of friends and family members, of relationships crumbling, the shifting world after the Covid-19 pandemic, and much more. Loss and navigating life after the death of loved ones is a central pillar of these stories but overall, Kalotay's characters are resilient and persevere.

All of these stories are beautiful in their own way but a few in particular stood out to me. "A Guide to Lesser Divinities" is perhaps the most tongue in cheek humor of the bunch, but still quite a sad tale. In it, college instructor Eliana is navigating grief and her own role in that loss while coming to terms with her feelings for her boyfriend and her job. Her scorn for those that abuse the English language is a highlight of the tale, and I couldn't help but be amused by Eliana's lectures to her students: "learn the difference between can and may, uninterested and disinterested, lay and lie. To deny the accuracy of one versus the other, I explained, was a first step toward moral corrosion. I told them that the degradation of language set the stage for ethical misjudgment, that our careful parsing of word choice and allusion were skills to combat despots and charlatans. That the semicolons they so blithely misused might be the last feeble shims propping up our teetering republic" (61).

In "Providence," 45-year-old Talia has a health scare while jogging that ultimately leads to her realizing the truth of her feelings for neighbor Gordie and of the singular nature of their connection: "She could let down her guard with him, could tell him anything, even her bleak, unattractive thoughts - of accumulated disappointment and small, sharp wounds, of her dubiousness about the world in general. Sometimes she even saw herself as Gordie did: her archaic qualities as exotic quirks, her chunky stereo system as "cool," and her lack of a television or streaming service as "subversive" (95). Talia's is one of the more uplifting stories in the collection and was beautiful in its reveal of a goodness emerging from something scary and bleak.

"Seeing" in which Kristin is stalked by a man while walking on an empty country road was haunting and perfectly captures the fear that I think most women can relate to of being alone and threatened by a male. And "Oblivion," the final story in the book, was yet another haunting tale, of the way Joan worked her way out of poverty and returns home to help her cousin who has slipped into dementia. The final scene of his house, with his voice echoing on the voice machine, gave me such a lonely and deeply sad feeling.

Kalotay has immense range and can beautifully capture grief, loss, mental health issues, and fear that we all inevitably face as humans. Her characters show up in cities all over the globe, with all different life stories but they share a human connection and are deeply relatable. They each contain multitudes. Told in rich, beautiful, haunting language, this was a beautiful collection, with each story somehow more moving and transforming than the last.

The diversity between each of these stories is remarkable. Each story completely immerses you whether it is a few paragraphs or a few pages. From lighthearted to ominous you get a taste of the whole spectrum. I won't lie, the end of 'Communicable' was almost too scary for me. But that was because the tone of the story comes through so well it has you seeing shadows too.

I loved the collection. Would definitely recommend.

Daphne Kalotay's "The Archivists" is a remarkable work of fiction that seamlessly combines historical events with a cast of extraordinary and surreal characters. This collection shows off all of Paley's chops (she was awarded the Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction) and is a deft blend of humor and poignant emotion, creating an unforgettable reading experience.

Really different characters but all so engaging. I loved this.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

A collection of stories taking place in Charlottesville, Virginia, spanning a wide array of people who all seem to be somewhat lost in their own lives (as anyone who spends time thinking about larger issues often will be). Some good reflections on self with respect to those larger issues. My favorite story was the eponymous The Archivists which introduced the concept of possible epigenetic manifestations throughout generations from an initial extreme trauma (in this case the Holocaust). One phrase really stuck with me: heart-scalded — meaning “an anguished, active, grief.” Not just grief at the loss, but “the ongoing torment of her regret.”

I admit I found many of the stories mildly depressing, though all were thoughtful and piqued my interest in some way. One made me laugh while simultaneously despair: Guide to Lesser Divinities — wherein an adjunct professor of English lectures her class on the subtle difference between similar meaning words:

“To deny the accuracy of one versus the other, I explained, was a first step toward moral corrosion. I told them how the degradation of language set the stage for ethical misjudgment, that our careful parsing of word choice and allusion were skills to combat despots and charlatans. That the semicolons they so blithely misused might be the last feeble shims propping up our teetering republic.”

And later in the same story: “To be imprecise is moral laziness. Not idleness. Not sloth. Moral laziness. It’s a matter of morality because to knowingly misuse a word is a way of lying. And deception is, of course, immoral.”

I’m not a big short story person, but I like Kalotay’s writing and each of the stories did provide insight into experiences outside of my own.

My short three-word review- Perfection. No notes.

The longer version- I absolutely loved this collection of short stories. I was drawn to this one by its title and the beautiful cover having never heard of Daphne Kalotay before. What talent, I loved every single word.
These are stories of everyday people living everyday lives, Kalotay captures the beauty, joy, loss, longing, fear, hope, grief and connection with heart aching authenticity and each story is unique, Some pulled in me from the opening paragraphs, others took a few pages to grow on me and each one left me thinking about the characters. I am always in awe of the skill of short story writers., this is one of the most memorable and remarkable collections I have read.
I look forward to buying a copy when this is published as it is one, I will return to and recommend widely. Loved.

I hadn't heard of Daphne Kalotay before so wasn't sure what to expect but I enjoyed reading The Archivists and would look for more from this author. Well written empathic stories of loss and living.

The Archivists
Stories
by Daphne Kalotay

A truly beautiful written book. Stories of grief, hope, longing, and joy . Twelve compelling stories of different genres. I loved the words, and how the characters were real and brought to life. I felt these, some or all grabbed me, and I felt the grief, hope, love, and joy of each.

Some wonderful, thought provoking stories in this collection. The author has created some characters who seem very real and are often quite heart breaking.