Book Summary and Reviews of Problems with People by David Guterson

Book Summary

Ten sharply observed, funny, and wise new stories from the best-selling author of Snow Falling on Cedars: stunning explorations of the mysteries of love and our complex desire for connection.

Ranging from youth to old age, the voices that inhabit Problems with People offer tender, unexpected, and always tightly focused accounts of our quest to understand each other, individually, and as part of a political and historical moment. These stories are shot through with tragedy - the long-ago loss of a young boyfriend, a son's death at sea; poignant reflections upon cultural and personal circumstances - whether it is being Jewish, overweight and single, or a tourist in a history-haunted land; and paradigmatic questions about our sense of reality and belonging. Spanning diverse geographies - all across America, and in countries as distant as Nepal and South Africa - these stories showcase David Guterson's signature gifts for characterization, psychological nuance, emotional and moral suspense, and evocations of small-town life and the natural world. They celebrate the ordinary yet brightening surprises that lurk within the dramas of our daily lives, as well as the return of a contemporary American master to the form that launched his astonishing literary career. 

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The man in "Paradise" takes comfort in the fact that on online dating sites, "The people you met were just like you" (4). How can this idea be applied to all of the stories in this collection? What were some areas of common ground—such as family secrets, personal insecurities, or questions of faith or national pride—among individuals, but also things we keep to ourselves?
2. How do the older man and woman who begin dating in "Paradise" exemplify the way that meeting new people creates insecurities and awkwardness, regardless of one's age or experience? How does Guterson use the past and memories in their story to affect a present relationship?
3. In "Tenant," Lydia Williams is called a "cryptic nonpresence ... ...