Book Review – Male of the Species

Male of the Species by Alex Mindt (2007) – I have a very bad habit of resisting reading recommendations, even from people I respect.  Along the way I’ve missed out on some great books.  This collection of short stories came with the VERY enthusiastic endorsement of my daughter.  Since I’m trying to overcome this habit I put it on my “To Read” pile.

If all the recommendations were as good as this one I’d break this habit in a minute.

Alex Mindt is a gifted writer working in what many people believe is the hardest writing category there is – the short story.  This collection focuses about relationships with our fathers.  In eleven stories he takes to an astounding cross section of humanity.  From Vietnamese immigrants trying to find their vision of the American Dream (“King of America”) to a small town teacher who is willing to do what he believes is right no matter what (“Male of the Species”).  The story of a son who is a complete puzzle to his father (“An Artist at Work”) to a daughter trying to find her way back to a father with dementia (“Karroo”).  They criss cross our nation and our experience of family.

As I prepared to write this I thought about which was my favorite, which spoke to me most deeply.  As I reviewed the stories I realized I couldn’t choose any one, or even a couple.  Each story is a jewel, infinite in wonder.

These characters have richness and depth.  The stories are simple but filled with complex emotion.  This is a book that you can read again and again and again.

Let me recommend it to you.

Rating – ***** Worth Owning