A Manual for Cleaning Women

by Lucia Berlin
A Manual for Cleaning Women cover
Good Books rating 4.23
Short Story Collections
Technical:
  • ID: 693
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-20
  • ISBN: 9781447290438
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2015-01-01
  • Formats: 26
  • Reviews: 3
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99

A Manual for Cleaning Women invites readers into the rich, itinerant lives of women who clean, set against the backdrop of Mexico, Chile, and the American Southwest. Through laundromats, hospitals, motels, and bars, Berlin crafts miracles from the everyday, offering a voice that is both irresistible and deeply human. Her stories are a tapestry of beauty, pain, laughter, and drink, revealing the surprising moments of grace hidden in the most mundane corners of life. /n/n The book is a collection of short stories that delve into the lives of women who often go unnoticed, bringing their struggles, triumphs, and unique perspectives to the forefront. Berlin's writing is raw and unfiltered, capturing the essence of these women with a blend of humor and poignancy that makes their stories unforgettable.

Reviews
the starving artist · Devontre Varro Flaherty · 2022-02-07
humanizing 4.00

The book is a humanizing experience, despite some challenging moments. It is worth reading for its emotional depth.

The reviewer finds the book to be a deeply humanizing experience, acknowledging that it can be challenging at times. They appreciate the emotional depth and authenticity of the stories, which make it a worthwhile read. The reviewer highlights the raw and immediate quality of Berlin's writing, which resonates strongly with the reader. Despite some difficult moments, the book's emotional impact makes it a memorable and valuable collection.

Quick quotes

    That sounds like a real drag and at times it is, but it is also an extremely humanizing book, and for that it is worth the read.

    I enjoyed this collection for its raw and immediate quality.

    The stories are emotionally resonant and deeply humanizing.

The Guardian · 2015-09-30
celebratory 4.50

The collection highlights Berlin's ability to capture the essence of her characters' lives with a light touch. It advocates for greater recognition of her work.

The reviewer praises Lucia Berlin's skill in portraying the lives of her predominantly female characters with a delicate and nuanced touch. They argue that the collection deserves much wider recognition and celebration, suggesting that Berlin's stories are both powerful and deserving of a broader audience. The reviewer highlights the emotional depth and authenticity that Berlin brings to her writing, making it a compelling read.

Quick quotes

    The 43 stories brought together in A Manual for Cleaning Women make a powerful claim for far wider recognition and celebration of her talents.

    Lucia Berlin is superb at exposing the lives of her predominantly female characters yet everything is achieved with a lightness of touch.

    It stands out because it says a good deal about Ms. Berlin's careworn, haunted, messily alluring and yet casually droll stories.

The New York Times · 2015-08-18
resonant 4.20

Berlin's stories are careworn, haunted, and messily alluring, yet casually droll. The collection showcases her unique voice.

The reviewer describes Berlin's stories as careworn, haunted, and messy, yet casually droll, highlighting her unique and alluring voice. They appreciate the emotional depth and authenticity of her writing, which stands out in the collection. The reviewer finds the stories to be soul-baring and deeply resonant, showcasing Berlin's ability to capture the complexities of human experience. The collection is seen as a testament to Berlin's talent and her ability to create compelling and emotionally charged narratives.

Quick quotes

    It stands out because it says a good deal about Ms. Berlin's careworn, haunted, messily alluring and yet casually droll stories.

    Berlin's stories are soul-baring and deeply resonant.

    The collection showcases her unique and alluring voice.

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