Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Reviews

Book Review: Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day

By Sandy Amazeen Jul 30, 2011, 1:43 GMT

"Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day is that rare find--a book that excites the reader. These tales are hilarious and vertiginous in the calmly absurd manner of Lydia Davis, Jack Handey and Etgar Keret. With his first book, Ben Loory proves he\'s already a master of the sleight of hand." -Stewart O\'Nan, author of A Prayer for the DyingLoory\'s collection of wry and witty, dark and perilous contemporary ...more

This delightfully demented collection of stories is rather like taking a walk through the looking glass, you just never know where you’ll end up. Whether it’s an octopus living in a big city apartment building or a man who goes on an adventure with a mountain taking a walk beneath the sea, you can expect the unexpected from Loory. In “The Fish in the Teapot”, a man manages to alienate all his friends and acquaintances while searching for a missing fish and befriends a woman whose cousin had his whole porch stolen. Tired of projecting a steady stream of drivel into the family living room, a TV unplugs itself and embarks on a search for someone looking for more intelligent programming in “The TV and Winston Churchill.”

These are merely a tease to tempt you into picking up a copy of this amusing book. Varying from a few lines to about twelve pages, these short stories deliver surprising depth, humor and mind bending twists belying their length. Like a box of chocolates, these tasty little bites are genuine treats to savor.