For the Relief of Unbearable Urges

Praise

"Englander’s voice is distinctly his own–daring, funny and exuberant." –Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times"Taut, edgy, sharply observed. . . . A revelation of the human condition." —The New York Times Book Review"Remarkable art. . . .The author fills each of these pieces with vivid life, with characters that jump off the page." —Newsday"Every so often there’s a new voice that entirely revitalizes the story. . . . It’s happening again with Nathan Englander, whose precise, funny, heartbreaking, well-controlled but never contrived stories open a window on a fascinating landscape we might never have known was there. It’s the best story collection I’ve read in ages." –Ann Beattie"His characters are marvelously sympathetic creations. . . . What is most striking about the collection is not the subject matter but Englander’s genius for telling a tale. . . . Invite[s] comparison to some of the best storytellers–Gogol, Singer, Kafka and even John Cheever." —Time Out New York