SKU: 70594247520

Varieties of Disturbance: Stories

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Varieties of Disturbance: StoriesLydia Davis has been called "one of the quiet giants in the world of American fiction" (Los Angeles Times), "an American virtuoso of the short story form" (Salon), an innovator who attempts "to remake the model of the modern short story" (The New York Times Book Review). Her admirers include Grace Paley, Jonathan Franzen, and Zadie Smith; as Time magazine observed, her stories are "moving . . . and somehow inevitable, as if she has written what we

Lydia Davis has been called "one of the quiet giants in the world of American fiction" (Los Angeles Times), "an American virtuoso of the short story form" (Salon), an innovator who attempts "to remake the model of the modern short story" (The New York Times Book Review). Her admirers include Grace Paley, Jonathan Franzen, and Zadie Smith; as Time magazine observed, her stories are "moving . . . and somehow inevitable, as if she has written what we were all on the verge of thinking."

In Varieties of Disturbance, her fourth collection, Davis extends her reach as never before in stories that take every form from sociological studies to concise poems. Her subjects include the five senses, fourth-graders, good taste, and tropical storms. She offers a reinterpretation of insomnia and re-creates the ordeals of Kafka in the kitchen. She questions the lengths to which one should go to save the life of a caterpillar, proposes a clear account of the sexual act, rides the bus, probes the limits of marital fidelity, and unlocks the secret to a long and happy life.

No two of these fictions are alike. And yet in each, Davis rearranges our view of the world by looking beyond our preconceptions to a bizarre truth, a source of delight and surprise.

Varieties of Disturbance is a 2007 National Book Award Finalist for Fiction.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Published: 05/15/2007
ISBN: 9780374281731
Pages: 219
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 0.70d
Award: National Book Awards - Finalist

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 02/19/2007 pg. 146
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2007 pg. 242
Library Journal 04/15/2007 pg. 80
Vanity Fair 05/01/2007 pg. 80
Booklist 05/01/2007 pg. 71
New Yorker (The) 06/25/2007 pg. 93
New York Times 05/27/2007 pg. 25
NY Times Notable Bks of Year 12/02/2007 pg. 12
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SKU: 70594247520

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Erin sumner
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect for a 6 year old.
Format: Paperback
Grandson turned 6 and he absolutely loved it. Best reaction to it ever.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2026
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RosanneP
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Quick, fun read
Format: Kindle
I purchased this because my son and I have been raising 2 albino axolotls since 2022. The illustrations are very cute and well done. The story includes a few characters and even though it's so short, there is clear character development. I would recommend this for children under the age of 8 to be read to. With repetition, they will easily be able to read this book (apart from those with reading challenges). My 12 year old read it through in one sitting and added his own unique reading style to it which was really funny. I wouldn't recommend reading this on a small screen as the font is small.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2025
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Person who likes to read theology
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 4
pretty good
Format: Kindle
It was pretty good over all but I think it could have more excitement But I think you readers will like it
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Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Mi hijo de 7 años lo ama
Format: Paperback
Mi hijo lo lee y lo relee, le encantó!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2026
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Ben
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Start
Format: Hardcover
My 9 year old doesn’t like reading. When it’s time for him to read to us, this is his go to book. Chapter books are a bit intimidating for him. He is eager to read about Max and is wanting to ready without us asking. We are looking forward to book 2.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2025

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