A Kind of Fiction Book

I really enjoy stories set in the place I love best, New York. Having lived here for all but 2 months of my life and having lived in every borough I always love to see my city through others' eyes. This is a terrific collection of stories that has something for everyone. There are a few that are worthy of specific mention. The two post 9/11 tales are as different as they could be. One is entitled "I Can Still Smell It", the other, "That Horrid Thing". Both explore the very different coping mechanisms people employed to try and move forward from the horror of that day. Some can't, others want to make sure we don't forget the harsh lessons we learned that day. Both were very well done and written believably. One of the first stories, "The Mean Mrs Dickstein" had me laughing out loud. All I can say is it involves a confrontation between the title character and one of the many New Yorkers with no cell phone etiquette. "Dog Story" was another favorite, animal lover that I am. The rest cover a variety of issues including anti-Semitism, growing old, being a parent, being a neighbor and just being and surviving in New York. Many stories also take us back to a New York of old, that hardly exists anymore except in the minds of those who were there. Even I often stop and wonder, especially in regard to the Bronx, just how many icons of my childhood have gone forever.... I only have one critique of this collection and that is its tendency to be Manhattan-centric. I would love to see another collection by this author that allows the other four boroughs more time in the spotlight. (Yes, even Staten Island.) Otherwise, it is a well written collection that's almost as good as being here.