The Struggle For Happiness

Ruthann Robson

A new book by Ruthann Robson is always a cause for celebration. This latest offering is a collection of eight thoughtful, loosely linked stories, many drawing on Robson’s experiences as a law professor and theorist. In ‘Black Squirrels,’ for instance, a disabled and displaced college professor plots ways to undermine the development of a shopping mall down the street from her rural home. The two best stories here are the deceptively simple ‘Review,’ in which an overly zealous young writer submits her first book review–a savage critique of a new novel by an established writer–and learns with horror that the novelist has killed herself soon after reading it, and ‘Death of the Subject,’ in which a psychic tries to help her cop girlfriend unravel a local crime (the title is a nod to postmodern theory that only makes sense in the last line of the story, like the kick in a Bloody Mary). The linking of stories in The Struggle for Happiness is superficial and perhaps unnecessary; the one truly compelling open-ended question (‘Where Is Madame Karmakov?’) is never answered, although we are teasingly offered a different Madame in a later story. Read these pieces in any order, and keep your eye on Madame. –Regina Marler

From Publishers Weekly

Searching for happiness while aiming for tenure and social justice, many of the characters in law professor, poet and novelist Robson’s (Masks; A.K.A.) clumsily quirky second short story collection are lesbians in academia and/or legal professions. But they don’t all face the same issues: some of the nine stories tackle the glamour of deconstructionist theory and PoMo politics, while others make pointed statements about disability, environmental concerns, the literary/publishing world and lesbian culture in general. One well-crafted piece is ‘re-view,’ in which a young aspiring novelist thrills at the chance of writing a review of a famous female author’s disappointing new book. Just after the heroine’s smug, cutting review hits print, the author commits suicide. A few tales venture into the lives of performers, to uneven effect. The story of a lesbian ballerina with hopes of dancing Giselle, ‘Pas de Deux’ starts off with prickly, vague characters, but quickly warms up with some of the most surprising plot twists and poetic language in the book. ‘Women’s Music’ however, begins with the interesting premise of a female rock star within a feminist community, but turns clumsily elegiac along the way. When the stories seem off-balance, it’s because Robson’s characters and themes are heavy-handed, even self-righteous and abrasive. But the author does have a talent for structuring her language with a postmodern edge, and most of this collection’s strength is derived from her verbal zip. (Apr.)

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Details

ISBN	312273290
Genre	Fiction; Short Story Collection (Single Author)
Copyright Date	2000
Publication Date	20-Feb-01
Publisher	St Martins Pr
Format	Trade Paperback
No. of Pages	240
Language	English
Rating	NotRated
Paper Type	Electronic Format Available
BookID	12611

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The Struggle For Happiness by Ruthann Robson