Impossible Things

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Impossible Things, by Connie Willis

I found myself on blog hiatus when life got super-busy and the kids got sick at pretty much the same time.  The kids are still sick--they are on the couch watching Tintin cartoons right now--but I think I can tell you a bit about the many books I've got lined up for posts!

Last week I was struck down with a cold and spent most of the day on the couch.  Kristen R. happened to post that morning about reading Impossible Things and mentioned a particular story, and I own Impossible Things, so I went to read the story, and the next thing I knew I'd read the whole collection.  A dose of Connie Willis was just what I needed to help the day go by.

This is a collection of some of Willis' best SF stories; a couple of them have won prizes.  They are a varied lot--there are some really funny ones, some tragic, and some just strange. "Ado" is a literary story a bit like "Harrison Bergeron."  "Time Out" has time travel, romance, and chicken pox.  "Spice Pogrom" is the kind of screwball SF that Willis specializes in.   I don't even understand "Jack."  And "Even the Queen" has a humorous take on the one thing that nobody ever writes stories about.

I always love Willis' oddball sense of humor.  She's a lot of fun.  This made me want to read To Say Nothing of the Dog yet again, but then I kind of want to read Doomsday Book before I do that, and it's so sad that I'm not sure I do want to read it.

Comments

  1. DebDMarch 14, 2013 at 4:10 PM

    I really liked Connie Willis time travel book (the name escapes me - but it was very fun). I'd not heard of this one... thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Monika @ Lovely BookshelfMarch 14, 2013 at 5:11 PM

    I haven't read anything by Connie Willis, but I love both sci-fi and short stories. I'll have to give these a try!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JeanMarch 15, 2013 at 6:39 PM

    Oh, Monika, you have to try Connie Willis then! She is very good at SF short stories.

    Deb, Willis wrote several time travel books: Doomsday Book, To Say Nothing of the Dog, and then Blackout/All Clear, plus some short stories.

    ReplyDelete
  4. jrleekMarch 17, 2013 at 9:23 PM

    If you own this, can I borrow it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. JeanMarch 17, 2013 at 10:53 PM

    Sure. I'll just want it back again someday.

    ReplyDelete

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