No Shortage of Sound at Jack's

Dinner and Acknowledgments...January found the Man Book Club exploring a collection of twelve loosely connected short stories in Ben Shattuck’s The History of Sound. While the stories ranged widely—from lost love to murder mystery—recurring settings, characters, and ideas quietly tied many of them together, often across decades.

The book was selected by the evening’s host, Jack, who set the mood with Cape Codder cocktails and Cape Cod chips before leading us fully into New England with clam chowder, Johnny cakes, and a hearty Guinness beef stew. Dessert—a memorable Old Rasputin chocolate cake—provided a fitting finale before discussion began.

Our Review and Discussion of The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck

Jack opened the conversation, noting how much he enjoyed the short story format and the subtle ways several stories were connected. He admitted, however, that readers needed to brace themselves emotionally before starting each story, especially the final piece involving recording cylinders (“Origin Stories”). Jack appreciated Shattuck’s writing style—clean dialogue, no long sentences—and singled out the interaction among the three friends heading to the cabin in “August in the Woods” as particularly effective.

Glenn enjoyed the book overall but questioned why the Winslow notes in The Journal of Thomas Thurber ended before the murders were resolved, feeling the conclusion came too abruptly. He also appreciated “The Auk,” especially its exploration of an extinct bird and the weight of loss it carried.

Stan liked the collection but found that the abundance of short stories made it difficult to latch onto a single character or storyline.

Larry felt the book was uneven. Some stories, like “Graft,” drew him in, while others, such as “Radiolab,” felt more contrived. He noted a recurring theme throughout the collection: the pivotal moments in life where choices permanently alter one’s path. He cited “Graft” as a prime example, where a young girl’s decision to scar her face reverberates throughout her life, forcing reflection years later when she encounters a young boy in a museum. Larry also mentioned characters who linger in regret, wondering what might have been—such as the young gay man who never follows up after a transformative summer encounter.

Terry appreciated the short story format, finding it allowed him to suspend disbelief more easily. He enjoyed the ambiguous endings and admired how Shattuck subtly knitted storylines together across the collection.

Andrew found the book charming, describing it as a blend of parables and O. Henry–style surprise endings. He highlighted stories like “Graft” and “Tundra Swan,” both of which explore how seemingly small decisions carry long-term consequences—whether a self-inflicted scar or stolen trees that are never put to use.

George also liked how the stories were connected but found the shifting timelines—sometimes spanning over a century—confusing.

Tom admitted he had only made it about a third of the way through the book but said that so far he was enjoying it, with “Graft” standing out as his favorite.

Doug found the collection uneven but engaging. He noted that it’s uncommon for short story collections to be linked in this way, and for him the book felt like climbing a ladder—each story an extension of the opening poem. Doug especially liked how Shattuck blended themes of nature and the arts and enjoyed spotting the small “Easter eggs” that tied stories together, such as the grafted apple tree from “Graft” reappearing in “Tundra Swan.”

Dan, the final reviewer, said the book wasn’t his favorite. He struggled with the frequent jumps in time, particularly in “August in the Woods,” where the narrative suddenly leaps forward seven years. Despite recurring settings and references, Dan found the new characters and storylines disorienting and felt the collection was hard to follow as a whole.

The MBC was especially pleased to welcome two infrequent attendees, Peter and George. It was great to reconnect—Peter newly retired (again) and George visiting family. Though Peter hadn’t had time to read the book, his presence added to the evening’s convivial atmosphere.

Our Rating of The History of Sound

Overall, with twelve distinct yet loosely connected stories, members gravitated toward different aspects of Shattuck’s writing—style, structure, theme, or emotional resonance. This may reflect Shattuck’s tendency toward ambiguous endings, as seen in stories like “Graft” and “The Silver Clip,” which leave readers to imagine what comes next. In the end, The History of Sound offers twelve New England stories and invites readers to linger over their meaning, their connections, and their unresolved conclusions. With these thoughts in mind, we gave Shattuck's collection a well-deserved 7.9.

Up Next:  Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Paul's proposed titles for next month were eclectic, to say the least.  With Nabokov's Lolita and Spigelman's Maus both vying for our approval, we instead tilted in favor of criminal justice and a memoir of hope and redemption.  No, not the one by Anthony Ray Hinton, who was freed after 30 years on death row, but rather the memoir by his supporter and longtime capital defender, Bryan Stevenson.  We'll see if our choice is vindicated when we meet in March at Paul's.  In the meantime, we'll convene in Tahoe in February and see if any of the early January snow still remains.