Close-Ups

A deft and vivid account of the emotional stages in a woman’s life . . . All in all, a strong, sometimes devastating but ultimately hopeful collection by an exciting and gifted writer.

Haunting and understated . . . These stories explore the failures of love–erotic and filial–with a sure spareness that’s reminiscent of Ann Beattie.

Stunning wit and sparkle . . . Thompson’s prose is tight and resonant; her view of the world is ironic and full of feeling.

An undeniably talented writer.

Deftly crafted and emotionally charged . . . Sandra Thompson eloquently captures the fears and doubts of being an independent woman in the eighties.

‘Ashes,’ a daughter’s story of her dying mother, is the little masterpiece of the group, lovely in its grief and guaranteed to show up in future anthologies.

Rare and wonderful . . . In the merciless glare of L.A. hip or N.Y. trendy, Thompson’s women cast a cold eye, hesitate, hold their noses, and take the plunge.