"A glorious addition to the oeuvre. . . . So. Damn. Funny. . . . Prepare for delight." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"One of our finest practitioners of the short story form returns with an ebullient second collection. Fans of Walter's seminal Beautiful Ruins will fall hard for the swoony title story... Wise, poignant, and generous of spirit, these stories remind us that Walter is a national treasure." - Esquire ("Best Books of Summer 2022")
"Even great short story collections normally contain a miss or two in the lot. But not this one. Every single offering in Jess Walter's newest collection is a poignant, heart-filled gem. His subjects range from
Italian actresses to besotted teachers, surprising one-night stands to overheard diner conversations. He delights equally whether bringing to life a minor moment or an epic love story." -
Daily Beast"Empathetic yet unsentimental [and] intensely affecting fiction...[Walter] manages to render multiple generations of emotionally complex lives in just a handful of pages. . . . The stories in
The Angel of Rome are largehearted and wonderfully inventive. They can be savored at the dentist's office, or anywhere, without an eye on the clock." -
Hilma Wolitzer, New York Times Book Review"Reading Walter's perceptive collection (after
The Cold Millions) is like sitting next to the guy at a dinner party who has something hilarious to say about everyone and knows all their secrets." -
Publishers Weekly"A transfixing cast of characters navigating fame, performance, identity, aging, and romance." -
Elle"Twelve sparkling, neatly varied pieces that range from Europe to the small towns of rural Washington State, and from the 1970s to the present. The rambunctious title story shows Walter at his best ... Walter also reveals a gift for darker, more surreal humor ... (and) compassion, wit, and general charm." -
Booklist"The beloved "Beautiful Ruins" author is back with a collection of upbeat short stories. The title story recalls his hit novel with its Italian setting, beautiful movie star character and goofy male protagonist. Even in stories about dealing with troubles like cancer, a parent with Alzheimer's, homophobia and climate change, Walter finds humor and warmth." -
Newsday"Walter's new collection of stories gives us characters as diverse as an actor in recovery, an exchange student in Rome, a teenage girl grappling with the loss of her mother, and a young gay man struggling to connect with his elderly father. Walter is sure to bring his poignant touch to these stories as he did with his previous books,
Beautiful Ruins and
The Cold Millions." -
Lit Hub"The Best Short Story Writer in 21st Century America? ... I was unprepared to fall headlong in love with this writer ... What makes Jess Walter so good? For starters, there's the way he gets deep into a diverse array of heads and hearts ... In the end, it is (his) fully imagined citizenship in our world that is his primary power. Call it a vision, a prowess, or an instinct, but whatever the word, it cannot be taught in grad school. -
Arts Fuse"If it were possible to sum up Jess Walter's
The Angel of Rome and Other Stories in a word, it would be humane. In the 12 wide-ranging, consistently empathetic stories that compose his second collection, he creates a memorable assortment of characters who bump up against life's inevitable obstacles, large and small, then stumble through or surmount them. . . . The tales in
The Angel of Rome aren't easily categorized, but each one provides a refreshingly honest glimpse into what it means to be alive." -
BookPage (Starred Review)"Walter's intriguing and witty collection of short fiction stories shines a light on the lives of a diverse range of characters experiencing existential crises while searching for inspiration. Despite the fact that
The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories is fictional, it's unequivocally relatable and insightful, perhaps even encouraging the reader to do a little bit of their own introspective thinking." -
Town & Country"He's at the very top of his game. . . . The stories Walter's characters create come from pain and joy and the pasts they can't forget. The result is a powerful collection, insightful and frequently quite funny, which stuns in all sorts of unexpected ways." -
Michael Schaub, Alta"Reading Jess Walter's second collection of short stories, one is shepherded through sometimes gritty terrain, but with the constant assurance of finding light and unexpected laughs. He mines gold from the profound perspectives of his unique characters." -
Christian Science Monitor"(Jess Walter's) newest short story collection,
The Angel of Rome and Other Stories, is the mark of a profoundly talented writer who can capture the internal lives of a 20-something barista living in Bend, Oregon, an older man glaring at kids from his window in Spokane and an Italian actress reflecting on how she never got her dream role in equally persuasive and poignant ways." -
Seattle Times
