Armed with a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a master's in creative writing from New York University, Judy Budnitz is a bright young writer who is quickly making a name for herself. Her stories have been published in The New Yorker and The Paris Review, as well as in McSweeney's - today's Mecca for literary hipsters. "Nice Big American Baby," Budnitz's second collection of short stories, is the aforementioned literary hipster's delight.
While the 12 stories that comprise the book aren't specifically interconnected, they do share some common themes and belong to a genre that can't easily be pinned down. Many of the stories focus on complexities within parent-child relationships, while romantic relationships (if they can be called that) often play only a side role. In each of the stories, Budnitz's observations about human nature play out on a stage where the edges are constantly blurred. Often the stories appear to be grounded in the real world, and just when the reader is comfortable, fantastical or otherworldly elements are introduced. This magical realism keeps the reader on their toes as they're drawn into the world of the characters.
One standout (novella length) story is "Saving Face." In a dsytopia which evokes memories of both George Orwell's "1984" and Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451," we glean a story through the memories of Giita, a girl whose freakishly webbed feet set in motion a tragic chain of events - each witnessed by the omnipresent face of the prime minister.
Another story that demands special attention from the reader is "Preparedness." It blurs the line between fiction and reality in a different way than the rest of the stories, as this one features a simple-minded president who delights in the use of down-home idioms and the idea of sliding down a fireman's pole. The narrative chronicles the government's implementation of a new disaster preparedness plan, and the simulations (or "stimulations," as the president calls them) the government runs to test its citizens. After a disappointing trial run in which people - unaware that it was only a trial - let loose instead of running to the underground shelters, the president angrily tells the nation, "I've just about had it. You're grounded 'til further notice."
Other stories include a tale of a girl-like Eastern European mail-order bride, a futuristic family who captures traveling salesmen and keeps them penned up in the backyard, a Mexican woman so desperate to have her child be born as an American that she carries him inside her for four years, and a misguided "benevolent foreign lady" who struggles to free a boy from his elephant.
While the stories are occasionally slow to start, Budnitz's clean prose, vivid characters and imaginative narratives make up for any initial struggle. Her skillful writing invites the reader to believe in the world of the characters, and the freshness of her voice makes one want to keep reading. "Nice Big American Baby" is a nice, big collection of hip, well-told tales.