Hot Little Hands

May 23, 2016
The protagonists in Ulman's debut story collection, all in their teens and 20s, feel intensely real. Set in Melbourne, Australia; San Francisco; New York; and Vladivostok, Russia, these stories explore the complexities of ambition, the intricacies of relationships, and, perhaps most of all, the distance between expectations and reality. In the opening story, "Jewish History," a young girl in Melbourne attempts to fit in with her classmates by sharing the story of her family's emigration from Russia. In "Chagall's Wife," a student seeks her science teacher's attention outside the classroom. With compelling honesty and humor, "The Withdrawal Method" introduces Claire, a Ph.D. student in San Francisco, as she deals with an unwanted pregnancy. And "Warm-Ups," one of the most arresting stories in the collection, depicts a young Russian gymnastics student who travels to California with the hope of gaining international recognition. The stories have a cumulative effect: themes of friendship, infatuation, self-discovery, and disillusionment intensify with each subsequent tale. Though some stories are more powerful than others, all the captivating women in this collection leave a lasting impression.

March 15, 2016
A vivid collection of short stories about young girls and women on the cusp of major life changes. In her debut collection, Australian writer Ulman offers us glimpses into the lives of seven women between adolescence and 30, most of whom are making choices without thorough thought of repercussion. Waggish but weighty, these stories render the mundane and the momentous in equal measure. Claire, a Ph.D. candidate and a tambourine player in the band Betty Cooper's Revenge, is the only recurring protagonist--she appears in "The Withdrawal Method," "The Pretty One," and "Your Charm Won't Help You Here." Often reckless, Claire faces in turn unwanted pregnancy, heartbreak, and Homeland Security. Anya, of "Jewish History," is a postwar immigrant from Russia confronted not only with the dynamics of assimilation, but with the consequences of kissing a crush. In "Same Old Same As," Romana navigates the murkiness of sexual abuse and the fleeting nature of popularity, learning what comes of both wanted and unwanted attention. "Head to Toe" deftly depicts the apathy and aimlessness of teenagers; Elise and Jenni are torn between sex and horse camp, adulthood and childhood. In each story, the female protagonist must handle a newfound responsibility: her allure, her freedom, her future. It is rare for a collection to so adeptly capture the way life can be at once facile and intense. Ulman's details are lifelike and droll, her style lucid and engaging, and the overall effect stirring. Nine short stories, all wry, authentic, and moving.

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May 15, 2016
Melbourne native Ulman makes a noteworthy debut with this collection of nine short stories. Each centers on a young woman, ranging from early teens to late twenties, as she assesses her place in the world or explores her sexuality. Claire, a British PhD student in San Francisco, is the protagonist of three stories that trace her disastrous relationships, manic lifestyle, and possible deportation. Interspersing her struggles are individual accounts of apathetic teens, immigrant experiences, a wunderkind blogger paralyzed by her book deal, and teenagers navigating blurry relationships with adult men. Ulman writes without judgment, and this is what gives her characters life. They are multifaceted, flawed beingssometimes victims of others, but often victims of their own actionsin whom readers will recognize flashes of themselves. Her unvarnished prose is ideally suited for this study of life's messy realities: sex is not romanticized, nor is a secure or happy future guaranteed. Whether readers feel their consciences pricked or sense of kinship stoked, all will come away with plenty to think about.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)