Rather than bring these lonely people together in a more conventionally novelistic way, Thomas instead allows them to brush by each other in the street without ever noticing, much as they might in real life. Thomas's characters haunt the same bookstores, the same neighborhood cafes, and the reader experiences the thrill of recognition when their paths cross. (Is that Walter we spot in the movie theater lobby? Is the "woman in the green shawl" the bookstore owner, and has he finally asked her out?) The choice is both daring and apt. As much as these characters want to connect to the world around them, their inability to do so is precisely the point of this slender, quietly witty book.

Product Description
With her own special brand of delicate, elliptical, and humorous fiction, Abigail Thomas offers another extraordinary visit with people she knows far better than they know themselves. There's Walter, newly abandoned by his wife; there's Edith, a fiftyish virgin; there's Bunny, taking care of her mother and her mother's boyfriend; and there's Belle, whose married lover dies in the hallway wearing her dead husband Herb's pajama top. Blindly, they encounter one another in ways the reader recognizes are profound even as the characters themselves are unaware. The genius and the art in this collection derives from the possibility that these ships might actually find each other by daylight. If only these four could get together--they'd be so good for each other. "Written with an expert touch, and a wise and tender sensibility. The effect is subtle, strong, and comic."--Charles Baxter, author of BELIEVERS and BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE; "It's hard to think she is capable of writing anything that isn't immediately engaging and a joy to read. Probably someone should publish her shopping lists."--Elizabeth Berg, author of TALK BEFORE SLEEP. A BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB SELECTION

However, this book is entirely worth reading only for the heartbreaking, beautiful story "Bunny's Sister." The transcendent writing in this segment allows Bunny to soar over the other characters, causing the reader to love her broken spirit as she embarks upon a reckless journey and impossible quest. Connections in this particular story, especially with Edith, are rampant. After "Bunny's Sister," the last story (for which the book is titled) seems too short and unimportant, and the book for me ended on a flat note. I would have loved to have read an entire novel about Bunny, but generally, this book was a quick read and fairly enjoyable.


Deserving of a Second Read   May 21, 2003
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Not often have I come across a book that I feel the need to read twice. Thomas' character development and intertwining plots are to be commended. Though best read in one sitting (and, indeed, it is possible), each story is also capable of standing on its own.


Wonderful   March 1, 2001
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Read this book. Such wonderful characters-Walter, Edith, Bunny. Thomas delineates her characters so profoundly you can only take them into your heart. The words are woven on saffron. Buy this book for yourself and your friends. It's a wonderful read. You won't be sorry.


Another round of applause for Thomas   November 20, 2000
This was the third book by Abigail Thomas that I had read, and like those before, I had a hard time putting it down. Once again, Thomas has enlightened us with stories that make us laugh and make us cry. Her talented writing draws us in until the end. Each story contains characters that seem as though they could be living next door. For those of us that have followed Thomas' path as a writer and have anticipated the release of each new book, you know that Thomas has talent that we haven't seen for some time. For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to read one of her books, you will be pleasantly pleased with Thomas' brilliance in "Herb's Pajamas".