Leonard Michaels

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The other day I was reading an interview with David Bezmozgis (whose Natasha and Other Stories I thought was excellent) in which he said that no writer had influenced him more than Leonard Michaels. This was the second or third time that I've heard Michaels' name mentioned admiringly, always in a context I respect, and yet I've never even seen one of his books on the shelves. What sort of a writer is he? Who does he resemble? Can anyone suggest a good one of his books (they seem to be available used at Amazon) to start with?

― David Elinsky (David Elinsky), Monday, 3 January 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

He made Barthelme's list. I have only read the one that Barthelme suggests: The short story collection *I Would Have Saved Them If I Could*. I picked it up on a whim at the thrift store and ended up enjoying it immensely. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little experimentation in their short fiction. Funny as hell too.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 3 January 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

oops, i meant to link to that list thread:

Donald Barthelme's Syllabus

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 3 January 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

The only thing of his I've yet read, an excerpt from his novel The Men's Club, was very promising. But I haven't gotten it yet to read the whole thing. A story of his, I don't remember which, is the next one in the Granta Book of the American Short Story, which I've been meandering my way through over the past few months. I'm looking forward to it.

― W i l l (common_person), Monday, 3 January 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

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