I'll be frank: "The Dictionary of Failed Relationships" is one
of those books you find at the front of Barnes and Noble, usually with
some kind of "buy two get one free". But it is a terrific collection
of short fiction by 26 female authors, from "Ambivalence" by Heidi Julavits
to "Zero" by Erika Krouse. All of the pieces deal with love gone wrong,
and overall it is a very readable set that will resonate with anyone,
male or female, who has struggled through a breakup of their own.
Sometimes the stories capture a lovely melancholy note:
"So," he said, "Janet tells me you're an emotional wreck, too. How long have you been broken up?"Other stories have more of a manic energy and also get some good comic notes:
"About a month," I stammered. This was not at all what I'd imagined would happen--the two of us bitching about our failed relationships. And yet, now that we'd started, I realized that I would much rather commiserate with Seamus than date him. "We split up suddenly," I heard myself say. "Just a few weeks ago, we were in Sears, shopping for a DVD player. And then another week later, he's emptied all his stuff out of my apartment. It makes you see how flimsy everything is, not just relationships, but everything."
Seamus made a low purr in his throat--an oddly sympathetic sound. "You're not just losing a person, you're losing all your old habits. Suddenly, you don't know who you are." His voice went husky. "The nights are the worst."
--Queer, Pagan Kennedy
It's hard to stop looking for something without simultaneously giving up hope. I don't know how. Buddhists learn the art of non-attachment, or they say they do. But have you ever seen a Buddhist lose his car keys? I have, and they're just like the rest of us.The stories aren't all bad news, some of the stories also detail two people finding each other after rocky times. Over all it's a worth hunting this collection down, You can get it at Amazon or maybe your local booksellers.
--Erika Krouse, "Zero"
