The UnAmericans

The UnAmericans
by Molly Antopol
W. W. Norton & Company, 2014. 261 pages. Fiction.

The UnAmericans is a brilliant collection of stories that take you from present day Isreal and America to periods of strife and struggle in Belarus, Russia and beyond. Each setting gives a sharp focused window to people deeply shaped by pivotal historical times and events. Each story is distinct, yet themes of political unrest, persecution, and human connection, and disconnect prevail. There is a visceral emotional quality to each story and it is easy to understand and empathize with the well drawn characters. The pain, fears, triumphs, humor and insights gained through their experiences makes each story feel almost like reading a novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and each story drew me in completely. From the brothers struggling for the love of the same woman, to the young woman striving to reinvent her career as a journalist rather than marrying and settling as her parents wish I felt their yearnings, sorrows, and complex emotions. This is a collection I can see myself returning to again and again like old friends. ZB