“Don’t let Are You Happy? pass you by: There’s not a word out of place in these brilliant Midwestern sketches. They’re lonesome, for sure . . . But they’re also hilarious.”
—Charles Arrowsmith, Washington Post
“A stunning investigation into how violence and family dysfunction reverberate . . . Each story has the complexity and emotional depth of a novel.”
—Rebecca Foster, Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“Ostlund’s immense power as a writer comes from grasping social dynamics in such precise terms that her insights are almost mathematically poetic . . . She is a master at deploying shifts of observation and noticing small transformations within characters, illuminating her stories’ premises. The brilliant clarity of her writing rewards the reader with distinct insights into the mess of the human world—its vices and vicissitudes—while still rendering the complexity of it all.”
—Evelyn Chi’en, Zyzzyva
“Memorable and often hilarious . . . Lori Ostlund’s stories demonstrate a sensibility attuned to the everyday strangeness of things . . . Somehow, even enveloped in wry humor, the collection is sweet. The stories are tender, honest, and earnest.”
—Lori Hall-Araujo, Chicago Review of Books
“[A] remarkable collection . . . Ostlund is a writer who knows how to expertly layer emotion. She navigates harsh terrain throughout the collection and doesn’t shy away from the realities of that subject matter, but her most remarkable gift is her ability to turn this material slightly, shift it into the light, so a moment that may deeply sadden us can also make us laugh . . . With exquisite prose and an unerring eye for details that speak beyond the surface level, Ostlund writes about the past, the present, and the ways we let the two bleed into one another in ways that are richly rewarding.”
—Chirstopher Lowe, Story Magazine
“Readers of Lori Ostlund’s new story collection Are You Happy? are likely to answer her titular question with a resounding yes after reading the book.”
—Cory Oldweiler, Star Tribune
“In nine richly conceived, highly anticipated stories, lauded San Francisco writer Ostlund examines the ever-present threat of loss and violence in the lives of her mostly queer and female characters. Described in her characteristic dry yet revelatory prose, scenes unfold across New Mexico, Minnesota, and California as Ostlund’s affecting characters encounter the intimate disparities between where they come from and how they live now.”
—Alta Journal
“In Lori Ostlund’s case, her real-life roots are wrapped around each and every one of her stories. Reading them can’t help but force you to face your own.”
—Rae Alexandra, KQED
“Lori Ostlund delivers nine tales about finding your place, exploring your desire and battling your fears. Long known for her captivating syntax and sharp dialogue, she continues to surprise with stories about loneliness and compassion that meander just a little bit beyond what the reader might expect.”
—Linda Lenhoff, Bay City News
“A cohesive exploration of women’s lives and queer relationships that investigates love, danger, families, loss, and navigating the past with wryness, unpredictability, and compassion.”
—Letitita Asare, BookBrowse
“If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at 3 a.m., pondering the existential weight of a text message left on read, Lori Ostlund’s Are You Happy? might just be your literary soulmate . . . Ostlund’s prose is a masterclass in restraint and wit, delivering emotional gut punches with the subtlety of a well-timed eye roll.”
—CityBeat
“[A] piercing collection . . . These stories will dazzle readers.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“These nine startling stories capture the subtleties of feeling—and being made to feel—out of place . . . These stories are not comfortable worlds to inhabit, but they are precise and endlessly fascinating ones. Ostlund proves herself a master of the form.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Ostlund’s genius is not in describing inevitable gloom but illuminating the mantle of indecision over any decision. One blurb claimed the reader ‘couldn’t put this book down.’ Nor could I.”
—E.B. Boatner, Lavender Magazine
“Are You Happy? is bright, swift, and heartbreakingly direct in its portrayal of how home can sometimes leave a lingering bruise. Seriously, how does she do it?! Lori Ostlund is funny and wry; her work cuts to the quick. Every story I read made me feel deeply known. I’ve long been a fan of hers and this book does not disappoint. A short story collection that is truly all hits, no misses.”
—Kristen Arnett, author of With Teeth and Mostly Dead Things
“Are You Happy? is a brutally hilarious heartbreaker. In Lori Ostlund’s brilliant stories, the shadows of childhood reappear without warning, threaten to swallow the adult lives her characters have worked so hard to build, and violence lurks under the placid surface of the everyday. There is not one false line in this tremendous collection.”
—Laura van den Berg, author of State of Paradise
“When you finish a short story by Lori Ostlund, you feel fundamentally changed in the same way you do when you finish a great novel. The world as you’ve known it before feels different now, more complex, richer, full of new depths, and often funnier. I don’t know if there’s anyone in the country writing better short stories than Lori Ostlund at the moment. Not for my money, at least. This is as near to perfect as a short story collection can get.”
—Andrew Porter, author of The Disappeared
“Lori Ostlund is one of our country’s finest short story writers, a true national gem. Are You Happy? showcases her clear-eyed, emotionally astute, and often slyly funny prose. With a deft hand, one that manages to float gently as it cuts deeply, Ostlund explores recognizable American lives reckoning with injustice and seeking connection. Relevant, devastating, and ultimately redemptive, this book is a must have for anyone who cares about anything.”
—Heidi Pitlor, author of The Daylight Marriage
“Once I read the first story in Are You Happy?, I put aside everything else to savor the rest. This is a wise collection, capturing its characters swimming upstream to encounter their fates. With vivid and compassionate prose that explores the countless ways we betray and then rediscover ourselves, Lori Ostlund reminds us of the vitality of the genre.”
—Jai Chakrabarti, author of A Play for the End of the World and A Small Sacrifice for an Enormous Happiness
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