The Angel of Rome

"Twelve sparkling, neatly varied pieces that range from Europe to the small towns of rural Washington State, and from the 1970s to the present. The rambunctious title story shows Walter at his best ... Walter also reveals a gift for darker, more surreal humor ... (and) compassion, wit, and general charm." - Booklist

"The beloved "Beautiful Ruins" author is back with a collection of upbeat short stories. The title story recalls his hit novel with its Italian setting, beautiful movie star character and goofy male protagonist. Even in stories about dealing with troubles like cancer, a parent with Alzheimer's, homophobia and climate change, Walter finds humor and warmth." - Newsday

"Walter's new collection of stories gives us characters as diverse as an actor in recovery, an exchange student in Rome, a teenage girl grappling with the loss of her mother, and a young gay man struggling to connect with his elderly father. Walter is sure to bring his poignant touch to these stories as he did with his previous books, Beautiful Ruins and The Cold Millions." - Lit Hub

"The Best Short Story Writer in 21st Century America? ... I was unprepared to fall headlong in love with this writer ... What makes Jess Walter so good? For starters, there's the way he gets deep into a diverse array of heads and hearts ... In the end, it is (his) fully imagined citizenship in our world that is his primary power. Call it a vision, a prowess, or an instinct, but whatever the word, it cannot be taught in grad school. - Arts Fuse

"If it were possible to sum up Jess Walter's The Angel of Rome and Other Stories in a word, it would be humane. In the 12 wide-ranging, consistently empathetic stories that compose his second collection, he creates a memorable assortment of characters who bump up against life's inevitable obstacles, large and small, then stumble through or surmount them. . . . The tales in The Angel of Rome aren't easily categorized, but each one provides a refreshingly honest glimpse into what it means to be alive." - BookPage (Starred Review)

"Walter's intriguing and witty collection of short fiction stories shines a light on the lives of a diverse range of characters experiencing existential crises while searching for inspiration. Despite the fact that The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories is fictional, it's unequivocally relatable and insightful, perhaps even encouraging the reader to do a little bit of their own introspective thinking." - Town & Country

"He's at the very top of his game. . . . The stories Walter's characters create come from pain and joy and the pasts they can't forget. The result is a powerful collection, insightful and frequently quite funny, which stuns in all sorts of unexpected ways." - Michael Schaub, Alta

"Reading Jess Walter's second collection of short stories, one is shepherded through sometimes gritty terrain, but with the constant assurance of finding light and unexpected laughs. He mines gold from the profound perspectives of his unique characters." - Christian Science Monitor

"(Jess Walter's) newest short story collection, The Angel of Rome and Other Stories, is the mark of a profoundly talented writer who can capture the internal lives of a 20-something barista living in Bend, Oregon, an older man glaring at kids from his window in Spokane and an Italian actress reflecting on how she never got her dream role in equally persuasive and poignant ways." - Seattle Times