Self-Help by Lorrie MooreMy review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
After reading this collection of Lorrie Moore stories, you can see why so many writers frequently copy her style. For one thing she makes it look so easy. Her prose is so perfectly paced and all those tough things like character development, plot, and setting just seem to flow effortlessly and logically out of the story. "Look" you say to yourself, "if she can create a beautiful story peppered with puns and thieving wives, why can't I?" And then you try and then you see why you can't. And then you are in a deep despair because you realize it is always the best writing that looks so deceptively easy. You could spend years trying to perfect this style but you know it would never be as good. Just when you are at the brink you read "When Robert MacNeil talks about mounting inflation, you imagine him checking into a motel room with a life-size, blow-up tall." and you giggle and you forgive Lorrie Moore for being such a great writer and you love the collection.
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