February Short Story Read-along: “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried” by Amy Hempel

Feb 03

February Short Story Read-along: “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried” by Amy Hempel

By Ann Kingman Project Short Story Add comments

At Books on the Nightstand, we’re dubbing 2013 “The Year of the Short Story.” In celebration, Ann is reading one story a day, for the entire year. We’ll also be highlighting new story collections, lit magazines, and online resources for short fiction. But one of the things I’m most looking forward to is discussing stories with you, here on the blog. Each month, I will choose one story to feature, and I hope that through the comments on the blog, we can explore these stories together.

This month’s BOTNS Short Story Read-Along is “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried”, by Amy Hempel. Originally published in TriQuarterly, the story also appears in Hempel’s first collection, Reasons to Live, and in The Collected Stories by Amy Hempel.

Collected stories by Amy Hempel

I was talking short stories on Twitter one night when Michael Taeckens, a man whose literary taste I respect immensely, asked if I had read Amy Hempel’s “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried.” I responded that no, I hadn’t. Then the hordes descended upon me. Or at least, that’s what it felt like. I was besieged with messages telling me — no, ordering me – to drop what I was doing right now and go read it.

So that’s what I’m going to tell you: go read this right now. I have lots to say about it. Read the story first, then if you like read the links I include below. But read the story first, please. Then come back.

“In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried” by Amy Hempel, presented online by Fictionaut

Did you read it? Good. Please let me know what you think about this story in the comments below.

Here are some links you might find of interest:

Fictionaut’s Line Breaks on “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried”

The Paris Review interview with Amy Hempel

Evidently this story is taught in high school English, and literature classes and writing classes and somehow I just missed it. After I read it, I felt like the last person on earth who learned about the Gangam Style video must have felt.

http://www.facebook.com/julietgrames Juliet Grames

oh gosh. this story is ruinous. every time i read it i cry. it was the story that got me back into reading short stories several years ago, and one of the reasons i bought the Hempel collection (the other was “The Harvest”–you must read).
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1194960140 Chelsea Brown

Another great choice, Ann! I left my thoughts on another montly post (http://readingoutlaw.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/february-short-story-in-the-cemetery-where-al-jolson-is-buried/), but safe to say that the minute I lost myself in Amy’s absolutely STUNNING language, and began to picture what it would be like for my best friend and I to be in this situation…I lost it! I buzzed through this story so fast I had to go back and read it twice, and I have a feeling a third reading might be in the very near future!
- http://www.booksonthenightstand.com AnnKingman
  
  Thanks, Chelsea!
  And I encourage everyone to go read Chelsea’s post .. and let us know if you blog about this story somewhere.
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com AnnKingman

Here are a few thoughts that I have about this story:

I appreciated the characters’ way of handling grief through humor. The line about “just don’t get me a magazine subscription…” I also responded personally to the narrator’s position: fear held her back from being a good friend, and doing what friends should do. It took her 2 months to visit her dying friend, becasue she couldn’t get over her own fears. I know exactly how that feels, having been in something of a similar situation.

I liked that Hempel doesn’t hit you over the head with all of this. You intuit it for yourself, through the dialogue and imagery. It’s full of sentiment, but not sentimental, as last month’s story was perceived by many to be sentimental.

In fact, I hesitated in choosing this story because I wondered if the emotion was too similar to last month’s story, The Paper Menagerie. But I decided that it was indeed a contrast. While I loved The Paper Menagerie, reading it with this Amy Hempel story makes it pale in comparison.
- http://www.facebook.com/catelyn.lanier Catelyn Lee Lanier
  
  I agree with your thoughts! I love how she uses dialogue and imagery to tell the story. The perfect example of this is the ending (which is superb).
  
  I also wonder if the imagery might be a barrier, a way of creating distance between herself and the ongoing and impending grief.
kbrown

Wow. Liked the “Paper Menagerie” but was blown away by this month’s selection. Thank you Ann for introducing me to yet another author. Just requested Ms. Hempel’s first short story collection from the library and look forward to sampling more of her exquisitely crafted stories. By the way, going back to link for a 2nd reading of her story: Did anyone else get a futuristic, sic-fi/distopia vibe at the beginning (masks, security cameras, # of times earthquakes mentioned)?
Robin

I was so caught up in this story that it requires a second reading, if not more. Will definitely check out her collected stories. I have had the privilege to sit with several dying friends, and I confront the same emotions every time. Love this story, feels as though she is sharing a secret that is not usually talked about. The humor was wonderful. Amy Hempel is my new hero.
http://www.facebook.com/lilly.vandesmittjes Lilly Van de Smittjes

That´s how I like short stories – every sentence means something. Very high literary quality! I used to love the short stories by Gabriele Wohmann, which we “had to” read in class. She is known for her excellent short stories – unfortunately, they are only available in German.

Kudos to you, Ann, for reading one short story a day!!
Tina

Wow, this story hit home. I had never read it before and found relief in it. When my aunt battled a terminal brain tumor, I was never quite sure if I was doing enough for her. I was much older than the characters in the story but felt like a kid again when my aunt took ill. The nurse in me battled with the neice & the kid wanted to bolt as soon as I arrived for visits. Since her death I have battled with pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. I had been in remission for eight years prior. I have felt it is what I deserved by means of surviror’s guilt. No more! After reading the story & the author’s interview, a trigger switched for me. My aunt would not want this for me. My fear was not a fault & I would never have held it against someone else had roles been reversed. What a personal release.
Mark Abe

And this was Amy Hempel’s FIRST story? The one that launched her career? Amazing stuff. Spare, intelligent writing. Captures the heartbreaking desperation of both characters without calling attention to it. As has been said, full of sentiment without being sentimental.
Carmen

Another great selection, Ann! I also read the interview you linked to in the post. Amy Hempel’s observation skills and attention to sentence structure and negative space were apparent in this story. I also love her approach to writing—leaving things unsaid and letting the reader figure it out or ponder it.

I really appreciate the work you are putting into Project Short Story. While I’m not reading a short story a day (that might change), I have added many more short story collections to my “to-read” pile and have subscribed to The Coffin Factory. Thank you!