DESCRIPTION

All of Us is about people in a small town in upstate New York - different, even alien, from one another, often politically at odds, yet managing to live in peace, side by side. Seen through the lens of a warm-hearted narrator with an eye for a good story and a good laugh, All of Us is a unique tribute to rural upstate New York - a funny Spoon River Anthology, a northern relative of Eudora Welty's "Why I Live at the PO."

REVIEWS

"Masterful poet and storyteller Esther Cohen invites readers to take a day-trip with her from bustling Manhattan to a quiet rural town in Upstate New York where porch-sitting, tomato-growing, and post office chitchat are appreciated and valued. Serving as both driver and tour guide, Cohen introduces us to a memorable cast of imperfect, identifiable villagers: loudmouths, late-in-life lovers, jilted spouses, settled seniors poised to jump off the diving board into the bracing waters of risk. All of Us – Stories and Poems Along Route 17, a celebration of what’s extraordinary about the ordinary, is rendered in a unique hybrid form and characterized by Cohen’s open heart, her refreshing lack of judgment, and her appreciation of the simple beauty of the natural world. I urge readers to let this gifted writer transport you through the pages of her original and wonderful book." —Wally Lamb

"As an Upstater, these stories and poems soothe my soul and remind me of why I love this part of the world more than any other." —Gary Shteyngart