Genre Fiction
![Jess Walter - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_jess_walter.jpg)
The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins and The Cold Millions comes a stunning collection about those moments when everything changes-for the better, for the worse, for the outrageous-as a diverse cast of characters bounces from Italy to Idaho, questioning their roles in life and finding inspiration in the unlikeliest places.
We all live like we're famous now, curating our social media presences, performing our identities, withholding those parts of ourselves we don't want others to see. In this riveting collection of stories from acclaimed author Jess Walter, a teenage girl tries to live up to the image of her beautiful, missing mother. An elderly couple confronts the fiction writer eavesdropping on their conversation. A son must repeatedly come out to his senile father while looking for a place to care for the old man. A famous actor in recovery has a one-night stand with the world's most surprising film critic. And in the romantic title story, a shy twenty-one-year-old studying Latin in Rome during "the year of my reinvention" finds himself face-to-face with the Italian actress of his adolescent dreams.
Funny, poignant, and redemptive, this collection of short fiction offers a dazzling range of voices, backdrops, and situations. With his signature wit and bighearted approach to the darkest parts of humanity, Walter tackles the modern condition with a timeless touch, once again "solidifying his place in the contemporary canon as one of our most gifted builders of fictional worlds" (Esquire).
We all live like we're famous now, curating our social media presences, performing our identities, withholding those parts of ourselves we don't want others to see. In this riveting collection of stories from acclaimed author Jess Walter, a teenage girl tries to live up to the image of her beautiful, missing mother. An elderly couple confronts the fiction writer eavesdropping on their conversation. A son must repeatedly come out to his senile father while looking for a place to care for the old man. A famous actor in recovery has a one-night stand with the world's most surprising film critic. And in the romantic title story, a shy twenty-one-year-old studying Latin in Rome during "the year of my reinvention" finds himself face-to-face with the Italian actress of his adolescent dreams.
Funny, poignant, and redemptive, this collection of short fiction offers a dazzling range of voices, backdrops, and situations. With his signature wit and bighearted approach to the darkest parts of humanity, Walter tackles the modern condition with a timeless touch, once again "solidifying his place in the contemporary canon as one of our most gifted builders of fictional worlds" (Esquire).
Editorial Reviews
An Indie Next pick for July * A Daily Beast "Best Summer Reads of 2022" * An Elle "21 Must Read Summer Books" * An Esquire "20 Best Books of Summer" * A Kirkus "Six Books to Read This Summer" * A Globe and Mail "38 Reads to Escape with this Season" * A Boston.com "24 Books That You Should Read This Summer, According to Local Experts" * A Lit Hub's "Most Anticipated Book of 2022" * A Town & Country "33 Best Summer Books of 2022" * A Christian Science Monitor "10 Best Books of June" -
"A glorious addition to the oeuvre … So. Damn. Funny. … Prepare for delight." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"One of our finest practitioners of the short story form returns with an ebullient second collection. Fans of Walter's seminal Beautiful Ruins will fall hard for the swoony title story... Wise, poignant, and generous of spirit, these stories remind us that Walter is a national treasure." - Esquire "Best Books of Summer 2022"
"Even great short story collections normally contain a miss or two in the lot. But not this one. Every single offering in Jess Walter's newest collection is a poignant, heart-filled gem. His subjects range from Italian actresses to besotted teachers, surprising one-night stands to overheard diner conversations. He delights equally whether bringing to life a minor moment or an epic love story." - Daily Beast
"Reading Walter's perceptive collection (after The Cold Millions) is like sitting next to the guy at a dinner party who has something hilarious to say about everyone and knows all their secrets." - Publishers Weekly
"A transfixing cast of characters navigating fame, performance, identity, aging, and romance …" - Elle
"Twelve sparkling, neatly varied pieces that range from Europe to the small towns of rural Washington State, and from the 1970s to the present. The rambunctious title story shows Walter at his best … Walter also reveals a gift for darker, more surreal humor … (and) compassion, wit, and general charm." - Booklist
"The beloved "Beautiful Ruins" author is back with a collection of upbeat short stories. The title story recalls his hit novel with its Italian setting, beautiful movie star character and goofy male protagonist. Even in stories about dealing with troubles like ...
"A glorious addition to the oeuvre … So. Damn. Funny. … Prepare for delight." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"One of our finest practitioners of the short story form returns with an ebullient second collection. Fans of Walter's seminal Beautiful Ruins will fall hard for the swoony title story... Wise, poignant, and generous of spirit, these stories remind us that Walter is a national treasure." - Esquire "Best Books of Summer 2022"
"Even great short story collections normally contain a miss or two in the lot. But not this one. Every single offering in Jess Walter's newest collection is a poignant, heart-filled gem. His subjects range from Italian actresses to besotted teachers, surprising one-night stands to overheard diner conversations. He delights equally whether bringing to life a minor moment or an epic love story." - Daily Beast
"Reading Walter's perceptive collection (after The Cold Millions) is like sitting next to the guy at a dinner party who has something hilarious to say about everyone and knows all their secrets." - Publishers Weekly
"A transfixing cast of characters navigating fame, performance, identity, aging, and romance …" - Elle
"Twelve sparkling, neatly varied pieces that range from Europe to the small towns of rural Washington State, and from the 1970s to the present. The rambunctious title story shows Walter at his best … Walter also reveals a gift for darker, more surreal humor … (and) compassion, wit, and general charm." - Booklist
"The beloved "Beautiful Ruins" author is back with a collection of upbeat short stories. The title story recalls his hit novel with its Italian setting, beautiful movie star character and goofy male protagonist. Even in stories about dealing with troubles like ...
Readers Top Reviews
kathleen g
While the title story seems to have received the most attention, the other eleven tales in this delightful collection are wonderful. Walter has a way with twists, poignant twists that make the reader think. That's the case with Town and Country, where the protagonist is dealing with a father's dementia and Drafting about a woman with cancer and a skater "dude." I know others have listened to this but I liked reading it- reading one story at a time, one a day to fully appreciate the characters and the writing. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. For short story (and Walter) fans.
