“Oldshue writes a loose, relaxed prose, that of an unhurried natural storyteller with a wry affection for many of his characters and a wide range of human interest.””

“Oldshue, who is a practicing physician in Boston and an instructor at Harvard, has produced an impressive set of stories filled with distinct, vivid characters….With each subsequent story read, I found myself thinking that the most recent story was my new favorite….It is exceptional work, which I commend to you.
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“Robert Oldshue’s debut collection is deceptive. While one could say these stories are about things as simple as driving in bad weather, seeing the next client, and visiting an old friend in the hospital, each of them is a world concentrated and distilled, filled with compassion, insight, and surprise.””

“A dazzling collection of stories, each with the depth and complexity of a novel. Utterly compelling, I read this book almost in one sitting. Robert Oldshue is an exciting and brilliant new literary voice. Perhaps the Great American Novel is now to be found in a collection of extraordinary short stories.””

“More important than content and themes is Oldshue’s ability to master the short story form””

“Throughout, the collection mines the interiority of these perhaps ordinary people who become fascinating through the access Oldshue gives us. I’m reminded of the Virginia Woolf line from To the Lighthouse: “But nevertheless, the fact remained, it was almost impossible to dislike anyone if one looked at them.” ”

“...will delight fans of Alice Munro and Richard Russo. ”

“Oldshue’s debut collection, winner of the Iowa Short Fiction Award, finds consistent success in its depictions of intimate relationships.....All of Oldshue’s characters immediately engage the reader’s empathy as they navigate “the awkward facts people of long acquaintance have to step around.” Oldshue’s sturdy prose and potent, understated endings will satisfy fans of the classic short story.”

“Robert Oldshue writes stories that are as rich and self-complicating as novels. Set mostly in Boston, November Storm explores that city through the layers of its characters’ memories. Whether he’s writing from the point of view of a haunted psychiatrist, a gay prostitute weathering the AIDS epidemic, or a night watchman at a cemetery, Oldshue proceeds by patiently excavating the past from every place, unearthing a character’s associations and experiences until what feels like an entire life has been disclosed.””

“Bob Oldshue has populated his emotionally intricate and very wise stories with lovable, broken people haunted by their actions or indeed by their failures to act. In sentences that tumble and spiral with masterful invisible complexity, November Storm delivers youngsters searching for themselves, oldsters searching for the past, and the middle-aged searching for redemption.””

“These superb stories are written with a sharp wit, big heart, and profound wisdom. Oldshue’s genius lies in his ability to bring remarkable emotional complexity to the lives of ordinary characters whom we recognize as ourselves. A brilliant debut.””

“...accessible stories that many will enjoy.”

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a richly varied collection that dwells on the fragility of life and health and finds unexpected moments of human connection.
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