What readers think of Cheating at Canasta: Stories, plus links to write your own review.

What a delightful read of twelve different short stories of human reactions in early Irish settings. Trevor, a prolific author writes succinct prose that allows the reader to imagine other endings to each story. Cheating at Canasta is just that--cheating at canasta to let the impaired partner participate in life and win. Captivating.

William Trevor's collections of short stories reveals the dark side present in all of us. Leaving the scene of an accident, lying, cheating on spouses are temptations many are faced with during their lifetime. Trevor portrays their humanity with empathy. This collection is a very enjoyable and insightful read.

Short stories are not usually my cup of tea, and after reading the first two in this book, I thought maybe this wasn't the book for me.

But as I read on, I changed my mind. The prose alone are enough reason to read it - the writing just flows beautifully. The author paints you a picture of place and time, and does a good job of showing who his characters are.

Most of the stories are more vignettes - no beginning and no end. Sort of a "slice of life". All of them leave you thinking.

This is not a book for someone who wants a simple plot, with a definite beginning, a predictable center and a satisfying ending. This is for the reader who prefers to savor each word, and think about what he or she just read when the book has been put down.

I am not usually a big fan of short stories, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Trevor's style of writing is easy to read and very enjoyable. I am going to have to read some of his other work.