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Cover of The Whore's Child

Literary Fiction · 2007 · PG-13

The Whore's Child

by Richard Russo

Seven stories about ordinary people whose lives are undone by what they cannot say

This irresistible collection of short stories from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls reveals the imperfect bargains of marriage, the discoveries and disillusionments of childhood, and the unwinnable battles men and women insist on fighting with the past. “An author whose laid-back understatements can be as sharp as other writers’ boldest declarations….the architect of stories you can’t put down.” —The New York Times Richard Russo brings the same bittersweet wit, deep knowledge of human nature, and spellbinding narrative gifts that distinguish his best-selling novels. A cynical

For14+GenreLiterary FictionLength208 pagesRead time~3.5 hours

This analysis was generated by AI from publicly available reader reviews, literary criticism, and book discussions. It has not been verified by a BookLens community reviewer and may contain errors. Be the first to verify →

Content snapshot

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

Barely any

No significant violence

Language

Some

Moderate profanity consistent with working-class milieu

Sexual Content

Some

Adult relationships; some sexual content in passing

Substance Use

Barely any

Social drinking

Emotional Intensity

Some

Psychological self-deception and the stories people tell themselves to survive difficult lives

What this book is about

Russo's short story collection opens with the title piece — a college creative writing class receives a memoir from a nun who believes she is the daughter of a prostitute — and continues through stories of Midwestern and New England characters navigating divorce, aging, failure, and love. Russo brings the same warmth and precision to the short form as his novels, with an eye for what people misunderstand about their own lives.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

Adult themes throughout

A character's sexual history as narrative subject

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