The Fat Artist and Other Stories

by Benjamin Hale
The Fat Artist and Other Stories cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Short Story Collections
Technical
  • ID: 3842
  • Added: 2025-10-20
  • Updated: 2025-10-20
  • ISBN: 9781509830329
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2016-09-08
  • Reviews: 3

Benjamin Hale's 'The Fat Artist and Other Stories' is a captivating collection that showcases his unique love for language and storytelling. The seven stories within are filled with a mix of stark, lush, and hallucinatory prose, often tinged with absurdity and nightmarish elements. They introduce readers to a cast of indelible characters grappling with love, jealousy, megalomania, and despair. The stories span diverse settings and time periods, from underground radicals in Morocco to a young drag queen in New York during the AIDS crisis. Each narrative is a thread in the vast tapestry of American life, exploring themes of life and death, art and ridicule, and the complex interplay between consumption and creation.

Reviews
The Skinny · 2023-06-06
engaging 4.00

The collection is seamlessly funny and harrowing, filled with understated beauty and integrity. Its reflective outlook makes it a modern and impactful read.

This reviewer found the collection to be a delightful mix of humor and deep emotional resonance. They appreciated the subtle beauty and integrity in the stories, which they felt reflected a modern and thoughtful perspective. The reviewer highlighted how the collection balances absurdity with profound insights, making it a standout read. They particularly enjoyed the way the stories weave together different elements to create a cohesive and engaging experience.

Quick quotes

    Seamlessly funny and harrowing, it is full of understated beauty and intergrity

    its subtly reflective outlook allows this modern collection

    full of understated beauty and intergrity

Waterstones · 2016-09-08
thought-provoking 4.25

The collection weaves pleasure in the absurd with an exploration of the human condition, showcasing the author's talent for storytelling.

This reviewer appreciated the way the collection blends absurdity with a deep exploration of the human condition. They found the stories to be a pleasure to read, highlighting the author's talent for weaving together different elements. The reviewer enjoyed the variety and depth of the stories, which they felt offered a unique and engaging perspective on life. They particularly valued the author's ability to create a cohesive and thought-provoking collection.

Quick quotes

    Weaving a pleasure in the absurd with an exploration of the extraordinary variety of the human condition

    the sway our most private selves

    the extraordinary variety of the human condition

Seattle Book Mama Blog · Seattle Book Mama · 2016-04-15
awe-inspiring 4.50

The reviewer was in awe of the collection, expressing frustration that others in their household didn't share their appreciation for literary fiction.

The reviewer was deeply moved by this collection, feeling a sense of awe and admiration for the stories. They expressed frustration that not everyone in their household appreciated the literary quality of the book. They found the stories to be profound and thought-provoking, highlighting the unique voice of the author. The reviewer's enthusiasm for the collection is evident, and they clearly value the literary merit of the work.

Quick quotes

    When I came to 'The Fat Artist', I could only bow in awe

    I was overcome with frustration because no one else in my household enjoys literary fiction

    I could only bow in awe

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