"Every decade, we get a stunning collection of dynamic, heartbreaking short stories. In the past, those collections came from Barry Hannah, Mark Richard, and Thom Jones. For the next 10 years, Pollock’s work will be tough for any writer to beat."

"This goes on my short list of gigantical bestsellers that, when I read it way back in galleys, made me think, “This is going to be a gigantical bestseller—and truly deserves to be.” It’s just fantastically imagined and extraordinarily powerful."

"The most recent Criterion release on my list is Kieślowski’s masterwork. Ten short films (two of which were expanded into full features) each based on one of the Ten Commandments. One of the greatest achievements I’ve ever seen in modern film."

"Dryly humorous, collection of tales about a poor Italian family and simple things in life. The book was recommended to me by an inspirational tutor at university and this collection, more than any, motivated me to try to write short screenplays."

"It’s a short book, but it is filled with so much. It really reflects the situation of 1930s America. I was fascinated to learn how women were treated at the time, and what life was like for poor itinerant workers."