What A Jolting Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Two things I must say up front--when I purchased this book, I assumed it was a novel, albeit a short one, set in Hollywood.  The second thing is I was wrong--it is actually a collection of very well written--two exquisite, in fact--short stories.

                                               The title story, which amounts to a novella, involves, Hollywood of the past, a young woman's traumatic marriage, an aging Hedy Lamar type actress, and a mother and son combo, culminating in suicide.  What an intro.

                                                 But nothing prepared me for "The Hedges."  This is one of the most disturbing stories I have ever read,  and I am surprised it did not give me nightmares.  It does, however raise new standards for parental toxicity and child endangerment.

                                                  Only the first story takes place in Hollywood.  Each of the other eleven take place in locales as disparate as Maine.  There is an unsettling quality to each of these stories, which makes Schutt's writing stand out; this is not a cheerful book, but a very stimulating one.

                                                    Nothing, however, matches the impact of the first two stories.  This made the Times list of "100 Most Notable Books," and deservedly so.  The author bears keeping an eye on.

                                                     And with that, I have reached my desired goal of 100 books, read this year!  Let's see how farther I can go!  Check in with you soon, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!