John Simmons Short Fiction Awards: Lester Higata's 20th Century (Paperback)

from gwendolyndawson

Lester Higata's 20th Century is a collection of linked short stories that share many narrative events and characters. Each story takes place at an earlier point in time than the preceding story, giving the overall effect of a narrative moving backwards through time. I thoroughly enjoyed this inno...

from abealy

This jewel-like collection of stories is dense and sweet and much too short. As we move back through the second half of the 20th century - beginning with the death of the patriarch Lester Higata - his wife, children, parents and neighbors form bonds and weave a web that colors the events that enf...

from taramatchi

This was like a Hawaiian version of [book:Olive Kitteridge|1736739] to me. Told in short stories or vignettes, it shares a piece of Hawaii with the reader. I think those who are not familiar with the islands or the way people native to the islands speak may find the dialog a bit tedious...but I c...

from bunkie68

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program. Not sure what in the LT algorithm matched me up with it, but I'm glad I read it! The book begins at the end of Lester Higata's life and works its way backward through a series of stories about Lester, his family, and other people in his li...

from richardderus

Not every author has the fortitude to start a collection of stories with a story about the death of the title character. Hamby is to be applauded for this, it's gutsy! It isn't extremely successful, though, beacuse the unspooling of Lester Higata's life from 1946 to 1999 is unevenly presented and...