Curtis Sittenfeld

“They were windows into emotions I had and hadn’t had, into other settings and circumstances and observations and relationships.” Decades later, Sittenfeld was met by the same feeling selecting the stories for this year’s edition. The result is a striking and nuanced collection, bringing to life awkward college students, disgraced public figures, raunchy grandparents, and mystical godmothers. To read these stories is to experience the transporting joys of discovery and affirmation, and to realise that story writing in America continues to flourish.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'The book of the summer' The Times 'Sheer joy ... Giddy and glam and a hearty update of Pride and Prejudice' Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist

YOUR NEXT READ FROM THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of ROMANTIC COMEDY, PREP and AMERICAN WIFE'Messy and delicious' New York Times'Sittenfeld is in a league of her own' Guardian'One of my favourite authors' KATE ATKINSON, author of Death at the Sign of the Rook'Anything Sittenfeld writes, we'll read' People'She understands women so well; like having someone look straight into your soul' Reader review*****______Razor-sharp, glittering tales exploring marriage, fame and female friendship, from the Sunday Times bestselling author. In this compulsive collection of twelve witty stories, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels, as she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends. In ‘The Patron Saints of Middle Age,’ a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In ‘A for Alone,’ a married artist embarks on a project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in ‘Lost but Not Forgotten,’ Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a new window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an awkward school reunion. Witty, confronting and full of tenderness, Sittenfeld peels back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice. READERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF CURTIS SITTENFELD:'Small windows into modern life and as such highly entertaining. Curtis, you're a star!' *****'Sittenfeld understands women so well, it’s like having someone look straight into your soul'*****'Devoured! You'll recognise yourself and others in these pages' *****'No-one else writes with such precision and amusement' Red Magazine

In her second story collection, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels. In these dazzling stories, she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends, laying bare the moments when their long held beliefs are overturned. In “The Patron Saints of Middle Age,” a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In “A for Alone,” a married artist embarks on a creative project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in “Lost but Not Forgotten,” Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an alumni reunion at her boarding school. Hilarious, thought-provoking, and full of tenderness for her characters, Sittenfeld’s stories peel back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice.

In this compulsive collection of twelve witty stories, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels, as she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends. In ‘The Patron Saints of Middle Age,’ a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In ‘A for Alone,’ a married artist embarks on a project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in ‘Lost but Not Forgotten,’ Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a new window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an awkward school reunion.

YOUR NEXT READ FROM THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of ROMANTIC COMEDY, PREP and AMERICAN WIFE'Messy and delicious' New York Times'Sittenfeld is in a league of her own' Guardian'One of my favourite authors' KATE ATKINSON, author of Death at the Sign of the Rook'Anything Sittenfeld writes, we'll read' People'She understands women so well; like having someone look straight into your soul' Reader review*****______Razor-sharp, glittering tales exploring marriage, fame and female friendship, from the Sunday Times bestselling author. In this compulsive collection of twelve witty stories, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels, as she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends. In ‘The Patron Saints of Middle Age,’ a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In ‘A for Alone,’ a married artist embarks on a project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in ‘Lost but Not Forgotten,’ Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a new window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an awkward school reunion. Witty, confronting and full of tenderness, Sittenfeld peels back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice. READERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF CURTIS SITTENFELD:'Small windows into modern life and as such highly entertaining. Curtis, you're a star!' *****'Sittenfeld understands women so well, it’s like having someone look straight into your soul'*****'Devoured! You'll recognise yourself and others in these pages' *****'No-one else writes with such precision and amusement' Red Magazine

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The bestselling author of Eligible and Romantic Comedy "blends acerbic wit, shrewd insight and sharp-eyed observation in this] bravura collection" (The Washington Post), including a story that revisits the main character from her iconic novel Prep "Each of these witty, intelligent stories is a slice of modern life."--People A New York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceIn her second story collection, Sittenfeld shows why she's as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels. In these dazzling stories, she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends, laying bare the moments when their long held beliefs are overturned. In "The Patron Saints of Middle Age," a woman visits two friends she hasn't seen since her divorce. In "A for Alone," a married artist embarks on a creative project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can't spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in "Lost but Not Forgotten," Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel Prep a window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an alumni reunion at her boarding school. Hilarious, thought-provoking, and full of tenderness for her characters, Sittenfeld's stories peel back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice.

Kolmekümne kuue aastane Sally Milz kirjutab sketshe igal laupäeval eetris olevale hilisõhtusele komöödiasaatele "Öökullid" ja teeb seda hästi. Pärast aastatetagust armumisteemalist arusaamatust kaasstsenarist Elliotiga, kes tema tunded tagasi lükkas, on ta otsustanud töökohas rohkem mitte armuda ja eelistab juhusuhteid meestega, kes ei tea, kus ta töötab. Ega tal enamaks aega jäägi, sest "Öökullide" töögraafik nõuab palju öötööd ja välistab suurema osa eraelust. Kui Sally kabinetikaaslane Danny Horst hakkab kohtamas käima glamuurse näitlejanna Annabeliga, kirjutab Sally sketshi, mille nimetab Danny Horsti seaduseks: mees võib alati saada endast ilusama naise, aga naine endast ilusamat meest mitte kunagi. Siis aga tuleb saatekülaliseks popstaar Noah Brewster ning Sally usk Danny Horsti seaduse paikapidavusse hakkab mõranema. Curtis Sittenfeld elab oma perega Minneapolises ja tema New York Timesi menukitest raamatuid on tõlgitud kolmekümnesse keelde. Ta on kirjutanud seitse romaani ja hulga lühilugusid.

Komedijna stsenaristka dumaje, scho velike kokhannja jij ne sudilosja, ale charivnij popspivak dije vsuperech jiji pripuschennjam! Salli Milz - stsenaristka "Nichnikh sov", vechirnogo komedijnogo shou, jake schosuboti vikhodit u prjamomu efiri. Majuchi za plechima ne odin dosvid neschaslivikh stosunkiv, vona davno pripinila shukati kokhannja - natomist dlja zadovolennja v zhitti vibrala vipadkovi zv'jazki, kar'jernij uspikh i khoroshi stosunki z vitchimom. Azh os drug i kolega-stsenarist Salli Denni Gorst pochinaje zustrichatisja z Annabel, rozkishnoju aktorkoju, jaka brala uchast u shou. Vin staje odnim z chislennikh talanovitikh, ale poserednikh na vigljad i navit kumednikh cholovikiv u shou - i zagalom u suspilstvi, - jaki pochinajut stosunki z nejmovirno vrodlivimi j uspishnimi zhinkami. Schob visloviti nevdovolennja, Salli pishe sketch pid nazvoju "Pravilo Denni Gorsta", de vodnochas kepkuje iz tsogo javischa j nagoloshuje, scho zhintsi navrjad chi moglo b tak poschastiti. Todi zh do shou v roli veduchogo j muzichnogo gostja na tizhden prijednujetsja Noa Brjuster, zirkovij popspivak, jakij, za chutkami, ljubit zustrichatisja z modeljami. Salli pochinaje zakhopljuvatisja charivlivim cholovikom, a pid chas roboti nad sketchami v neji z'javljajutsja dumki, chi ne probigla mizh nimi iskra. Ale tse zh ne romantichna komedija, a realne zhittja. A v realnomu zhitti takij cholovik, jak vin, nizascho b ne zustrichavsja z takoju zhinkoju, jak vona... pravda zh?

Dazhe esli ty ne printsessa, pozvol printsu na belom kone spasti tebja ot drakona i dokazat obratnoe. Eta istorija sovremennoj Zolushki vzorvala TikTok. Gotovitsja ekranizatsija. Poket bolshogo formata s zapechatannymi forzatsami, dopolnitelnym kontentom k knige i ekskljuzivnym podarkom tolko v pervom tirazhe. Idealnaja kniga dlja tekh, kto reshil ustroit sebe vneplanovyj otpusk. Salli Milz - stsenaristka komedijnogo TV-shou "Nochnye sovushki". Ej ne raz razbivali serdtse, poetomu ona dovolstvuetsja lish rabotoj i sluchajnymi vstrechami. No v odin den vse menjaetsja. Na shou prikhodit Noa Brjuster, vsemirno izvestnyj muzykant. Salli skepticheski otnositsja k ego obrazu i repertuaru, no vskore obnaruzhivaet: Noa ne tak uzh i plokh. Salli ponimaet, chto vljubljaetsja v nego, no boitsja, chto takoj muzhchina ne mozhet po-nastojaschemu poljubit zhenschinu vrode nee. O, eto glupoe zabluzhdenie, chto znamenitye muzhchiny v prostushek ne vljubljajutsja. Salli pishet sketch, v kotorom vysmeivaet eto javlenie. I vot tut nachinaetsja samoe interesnoe... "Eto veseloe, miloe i umnoe chtenie objazatelno vam ponravitsja. A chto vas zhdet vo vtoroj chasti..." - Riz Uizerspun

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK'A hilarious, sweet, smart read that you're going to love!' REESE WITHERSPOON'A rollercoaster of modern love and dating' STYLIST'Biting, pacy, great fun' SUNDAY TIMESA TV script writer thinks she's done with romance, until an unlikely love interest upends all her assumptions: a humorous, sharp and tender novel from the bestselling author of Eligible, American Wife and Prep._____________Life is (not)* a Romantic Comedy... After a series of heartbreaks, Sally Milz - successful script writer for a legendary late-night TV comedy show - has long abandoned the search for love. But when her friend and fellow writer begins to date a glamorous actress, he joins the growing club of interesting but average-looking men who get romantically involved with accomplished, beautiful women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch, poking fun at this 'social rule'. The reverse never happens for a woman. Then Sally meets Noah, a pop idol with a reputation for dating models. But this isn't a romantic comedy - it's real life. Would someone like him ever date someone like her? Skewering all our certainties about why we fall in love, ROMANTIC COMEDY is a witty and probing tale of how the heart will follow itself, no matter what anyone says. It is Curtis Sittenfeld at her most sharp, daring and compassionate best.-----------------WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:'This book is heavenly. i just had a hilariously enjoyable masterclass in writing' *****'Hilarious and screwball and warm' *****'A book that helps transport you away' *****'She makes the characters much more real than ordinary romcoms*****Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller, April 2023Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, April 2023

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK - A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions--a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep. "Full of dazzling banter and sizzling chemistry."--People "If you ever wanted a backstage pass to Saturday Night Live, this is the book for you."--Zibby Owens, Good Morning America A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, Harper's Bazaar, Real Simple, She Reads, New York Post Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she's long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life. But when Sally's friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show--and in society at large--who've gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called The Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman. Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week's show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn't a romantic comedy--it's real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right? With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.

Life is (not)* a Romantic Comedy... With a series of heartbreaks under her belt, Sally Milz - successful script writer for a legendary late-night TV comedy show - has long abandoned the search for love. But when her friend and fellow writer begins to date a glamorous actress, he joins the growing club of interesting but average-looking men who get romantically involvded with accomplished, beautiful women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch, poking fun at this 'social rule'. The reverse never happens for a woman. Then Sally meets Noah, a pop idol with a reputation for dating models. But this isn't a romantic comedy - it's real life. Would someone like him ever date someone like her?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK - A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions--a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep. "Full of dazzling banter and sizzling chemistry."--People "If you ever wanted a backstage pass to Saturday Night Live, this is the book for you."--Zibby Owens, Good Morning America A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, Harper's Bazaar, Real Simple, She Reads, New York Post Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she's long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life. But when Sally's friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show--and in society at large--who've gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called The Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman. Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week's show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn't a romantic comedy--it's real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right? With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK - A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions--a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep. "Full of dazzling banter and sizzling chemistry."--People "If you ever wanted a backstage pass to Saturday Night Live, this is the book for you."--Zibby Owens, Good Morning America A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, Harper's Bazaar, Real Simple, She Reads, New York Post Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she's long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life. But when Sally's friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show--and in society at large--who've gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called The Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman. Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week's show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn't a romantic comedy--it's real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right? With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK - A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions--a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep. "Full of dazzling banter and sizzling chemistry."--People "If you ever wanted a backstage pass to Saturday Night Live, this is the book for you."--Zibby Owens, Good Morning America A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, Harper's Bazaar, Real Simple, She Reads, New York Post Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she's long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life. But when Sally's friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show--and in society at large--who've gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called The Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman. Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week's show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn't a romantic comedy--it's real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right? With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.