Several stories about life in Chicago's South Side, varying degrees of connection between the stories. The stories seemed to feel more universal as time progressed. Maybe that was just me finding the later stories more relatable because they seem to take place in the 1970s... a decade much more familiar to me than the 1950s of Dybek's youth. I did, however, like the stories of the protagonist's childhood better than those of adolescence and beyond... so there's that.

This time I did not consume a collection of stories in a couple of marathon sessions. It was a much better experience as a result.

2.5 stars - some of the stories are okay

Some of the best prose I've read in a long time. Chicago at its literary finest.

Interconnected stories about Chicago. sometimes I didn't totally understand how the stories connected. All in one neighborhood or one family in the neighborhood - I guess.

I think I heard Dybek speak at a ALA program in Chicago which would have been appropriate and also would explain why one story seemed very familiar.

My favorite story was "We Didn't" which may be the one that was read to us.

Worth reading if you like short stories - much of it was serious, but there were definitely some funny bits. And the two brothers were great characters.