Given the contemporary nature of the stories, there had to be at least one about COVID-19 and that one is The Thirteenth Day. If you like this story, I highly recommend checking out Todd Solondz’s underrated movie Dark Horse which features a very similar character. It’s written from the point of view of the man and his mother and it’s very funny, but also timely - I recall seeing a similar story in the news in recent years.

It’s about a thirtysomething manbaby being evicted by his parents for being a deadbeat. The Shape of a Teardrop is my favourite story here. It’s an increasingly dark and tense story where you wonder what other revelations Boyle will throw at you before the tale is told - very compelling stuff.

What’s Love Got To Do With It? is the first great story, about an older woman taking the cross-country train to her family and happens to meet an incel (“involuntary celibate” - exclusively guys) and they discuss a recent school shooting by an incel. That said, they’re usually very high quality collections so this is by no means a bad book and there are some brilliant gems to be found amidst the 13 stories here.

I’ve read nearly all of Boyle’s short story collections and I Walk Between the Raindrops is probably my least favourite of his so far. Incels, adults in arrested development, COVID (of course), climate change, suicide, self-driving cars, the homeless problem, teachers hooking up with students, hallucinogenics, and a social credit system - in the US? TC Boyle’s latest collection of short stories is very much about the here and now of our world. Overall, I just can’t say it enough - loud enough- how enjoyable and satisfying these stories are. The audiobook format was excellent - although I admit not equally liking each ‘voice’ - but I liked most (all but one actually). …I refuse to spoil these stories by sharing more. …an unforgettable train ride with a woman in her fifties and a young college age kid who identifies with a school shooting killer …suicide hot line short term work volunteer work,

Marriage, (authentic- functional - non- sentiment) I love his writing and love these highly imagined contemporary interesting stories.Įach and everyone was a dynamo!!! Hilarious and compelling. Audiobook….read by a full cast - including T.C.

Tc boyle i walk between the raindrops