Table for Two - Amor Towles

Table for Two

By Amor Towles

  • Release Date: 2024-04-02
  • Genre: Short Stories
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 882 Ratings

Description

An Instant New York Times Bestseller

“A knockout collection. ... Sharp-edged satire deceptively wrapped like a box of Neuhaus chocolates, Table for Two is a winner.” —The New York Times

“Superb ... This may be Towles’ best book yet. Each tale is as satisfying as a master chef’s main course, filled with drama, wit, erudition and, most of all, heart.” —Los Angeles Times

 
Millions of Amor Towles fans are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter fiction: six stories based in New York City and a novella set in Golden Age Hollywood.

The New York stories, most of which take place around the year 2000, consider the fateful consequences that can spring from brief encounters and the delicate mechanics of compromise that operate at the heart of modern marriages.

In Towles’s novel Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September 1938 with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, “Eve in Hollywood” describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself—and others—in a noirish tale that takes us through the movie sets, bungalows, and dive bars of Los Angeles.

Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles’s canon of stylish and transporting fiction.

Reviews

  • Table for Two

    5
    By ssofty
    In every short story and novella in this book, a phrase or sentence about human nature or behavior stopped me in my tracks. Stopping so that I could read it again and think about it more slowly. What could be better? I loved it.
  • Great stories.

    5
    By Cut wood
    Very enjoyable. What nice writing.
  • Table for Two

    3
    By ev kuster
    After much extraneous verbiage, Towles finally discovers a plot one third of the way through. It then takes off as a wild whodunnit, but ends with a yawn.
  • Compelling stories, wonderfully written

    5
    By Peonies+Magnokia
    A departure from reading a traditional novel - in the best way.
  • Great!!

    5
    By timlozier
    Amor Towles is a wizard with words. So good!!
  • Table for Two - please read me!

    5
    By ellejeune
    Bravo! Again I am unable to explain why this book is so amazing because I’m not a writer but the brilliance is shocking and I’m so sad to have completed it!
  • It’s so good!!! Exceptional

    5
    By Shaye bae bae
    Amor Towles is our generation’s greatest living author. This book, along with all his others, is compelling, suspenseful and full of life’s wisdoms, it’s truly hard to put down. His writing takes you to a higher level and your magically transported into the scene with just the right amount of description and I just love how he goes into the minds of his characters. As I read each short story in his book, I kept thinking how does he come up with these incredibly creative stories that you can’t stop reading. The addition of Rules of Civility Eve’s time in Los Angeles read like many of the short stories but combined into a beautiful short novel with a detective novel feel. Loved, loved, loved this book!
  • The short storys are great, the Novella is a bit slow to get started

    3
    By Left Out (objectivity)
    I am a big fan of the author. He is a storyteller, philosopher and humorous all rolled into one. The short stories were all very interesting. I thought the Novella was very slow to get to the set up. Too much focus on philosophy in each sentence and not enough on the storyline. Got a little bit annoying. However, about 3/4 of the way through, no surprise, he pulled it all together and the last section of the book was a good read. (Not so sure about the need for the general philosophic comment on the last page or two but didn't hurt the story.) If you haven't read his other books, I would read those first. If you have, I think you wouldn't enjoy this.
  • Wonderfully fresh

    5
    By suhollan
    I like everything written by Amor Towles. His writing is imaginative. When he uses humor it is quite subtle. I loved his short stories. The novel about Eve makes me want to re-read Rules of Civility. I continue to love this author’s style and be amazed at his talent. Pure genius.
  • Not my favorite Towles book

    4
    By Disappointed in Clearwater
    While I enjoyed the book it is my least favorite. What I love about Mr. Towles books is the character development. This book being short stories does not allow that rich development of characters and relationships. Go in to reading this book with lower expectations!