Nancy Burke has an uncanny sense of family dynamics. I love this wise, original, and nervy collection of her stories. – Hilma Wolitzer, author of Today a Woman Went Mad at the Supermarket (2021)
“Nancy Burke’s witty, warm stories go to the heart of relationships and family life with honesty and compassion. The sisters in the wonderful opening set of linked stories return in later pieces, and it is a pleasure to watch them grow and also remain recognizably the same as they were as girls. Other stories deal with contemporary dilemmas and problems between adults in surprising ways. Death Cleaning and Other Units of Measure shows another aspect of Burke’s range as an author who speaks to the concerns of our times with great wisdom.” Alice Elliott Dark – Author of Fellowship Point, Think of England, In The Gloaming, Naked to the Waist
“Nancy Burke reminds us of how much we need stories in her exquisite collection Death Cleaning and Other Units of Measurement. Whether its love gone missing, family heartache, or the resurrection of hope, Burke hits the right note every single time. Searing and heartfelt, her storytelling will knock you out but bring you back whole when you need it most.” – Julie Maloney, award-winning author of A Matter of Chance
Nancy Burke’s DEATH CLEANING is a moving, beautifully-crafted and exceptionally relatable collection of stories featuring an unforgettable trio of sisters gripped by sibling rivalry and fear, tales of infertility and hidden pregnancies, the secret desires of wives, mothers, husbands and more, written with exquisite detail that highlights the quotidian terror, beauty, and redemption of our daily lives. – Laurie Lico Albanese, author of HESTER
“Nancy Burke’s Death Cleaning and Other Units of Measure is a wide-ranging, moving work which focuses with great sensitivity on the intersection between the inner lives of ordinary people and their daily experiences. Told from multiple points of view––young, old, men and women––it deftly captures the long-held secrets, misunderstandings, and bonds, however fraught, that make up any relationship. In Burke’s world, no matter the distance between people, whether a generational or a religious divide, or a tenuous bond between neighbors, one never doubts their connection. Her wise insights about mothers and daughters, siblings, and romantic partnerships give these memorable characters weight. Stylistically, the collection encompasses linked stories, stand-alone ones, and a piece entirely in dialogue. For readers looking to dive into a rich exploration of the seasons of women’s and men’s lives, this is a book to treasure.” ––Roselee Blooston, author of the novel, Trial by Family, an IPBA Gold Medal Winner, A Chocolate Jar & Other Stories, the memoir Dying in Dubai, a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year, and Almost: My Life in the Theater
“Nancy Burke’s stories open the treacherous ground of marriage and family relations with fearless intimacy. Her clear, everyday language and realistic dialogue take us deep into the dark recesses of envy, revenge, sibling rage, guilt, and missed connections. The personal touches on the universal when we suffer the heartbreak of infertility or the ambivalent results of failed suicide along with Burke’s seemingly ordinary characters, who have much to show us about our own foibles and ingrained resentments. Units of Measure is a collection for our times, our history, our pain.” – Marina Antropow Cramer, author of the novels Roads, Anna Eva Mimi Adam, Marfa’s River and Winners and Losers
The title “Death Cleaning and Other Units of Measure” and the inspiration behind it is an indication of how utterly insightful and relatable this collection of short stories is. The author describes the Units of Measure used by everybody in every part of their lives, amount of kindness given, amount of effort, how we compare ourselves to others to name a few and the book explores how not everybody measures up the same way.
Burke writes about situations the majority of us have experienced and can relate to with such stark accuracy, it is difficult to put the book down. There will be stories that resonate deeply with your own life experience, but Burke gives comfort in giving the power of understanding and reassurance that you are not alone, you are not the only person to experience these things, while empowering you with the resilience within This is an author that I can certainly get behind and I look forward to reading more Thank you to Netgalley, Apprentice House and Nancy Burke for this exceptional ARC of short stories. My review is left of my own volition and all opinions are my own. – InkR Reviewer on NetGalley
Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced reader copy. This is a wonderful collection of short stories with characters so real it’s no surprise when a child shows up later as a teenager and you think, “Oh, I remember you. I knew you when you were a little girl.”
Nancy Burke does not wrap her stories up and tie them with a neat little bow. Like life, the stories end where they will, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next. They are stories that will stay with you. – Eileen V on NetGalley
“Nancy Burke’s stories enable you to really understand the people you thought you already knew all about. Her writing delves into situations like sibling rivalry, parent and child conflicts and marital disputes, and uncovers veins of unique viewpoints. Whether she’s exploring a day at the Jersey shore, love hate relations among sisters, or the deep personal bond between a man and his GPS, Burke will keep you interested, amused, touched and wondering why you never thought of things that way before.” – Jean Ende, Short Story Author
Death Cleaning & Other Units of Measure by Nancy Burke is an initimate collection of short stories about family connections and perspectives on life in segments. Each narrative, while perhaps not directly relatable, provoke a certain feeling that is so innately human, it leaves you thinking about your own life in a way. Burke is very skilled in creating all-encompassing narratives in so few pages, it feels as if readers are dropped right into the middle of lives of characters they’ve been reading about for chapters. I don’t typically opt for short story collections, but I am glad I chose to read this one. I enjoyed my time reading it, and it even piqued my interest in writing a few short stories of my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Apprentice House for providing a copy for advanced review. – Librarian on NetGalley
Oh, my goodness. This was such an amazing read. I was first intrigued with the title and the cover but it did not disappoint me at all. As someone who is a big fan of short stories as well, this book was just fabulous. – Vanetta R. on NetGalley
I enjoyed this collection of short stories, especially how many of them dived into the complexities of womanhood (being a girl, being a sister, being a daughter, being a wife, etc.). – Anna D. on NetGalley
I really enjoyed this short story collection about relationships between people and the complexity of womanhood. The first thing that intrigued me was the title and the book definitely didn’t disappoint. I’ll recommend it for those who enjoy silly and very human characters, and a sweet & simple writing style. – Gry K. on NetGalley
For Additional Reviews of Death Cleaning and Other Units of Measure
Nancy Burke delivers a novel that is intriguing and a plot that is wholly unique in Only the Women are Burning. The first thing that struck me was the dialogue, which is crafted in such a natural manner that it feels authentic and makes the characters relatable. I love Cassandra and the way she moves through life in a juggling act of processing these deaths while she cooks dinner and tells her kids to do their homework. She is every woman and I connected with her almost immediately. Those who surround her are also fully fleshed-out characters, a cast that makes an already fantastic plot so much more engrossing. – Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite
“A compelling mystery with an engaging look at suburban womanhood” — Foreword Clarion Reviews (click for full review)
“A suspenseful, vivid, and convincing portrayal of the often precarious position of women in the world.” –Sheila Kohler, author of Cracks, Crossways, and the memoir, Once We Were Sisters
…With Only the Women are Burning, Nancy Burke has created a novel that defies easy categorization. It’s an incredibly plausible science fiction tale that dips into horror. It’s a small-town mystery and personal drama. It’s a searing feminist condemnation of caste systems and patriarchal oppression. Truly, it’s all of these things simultaneously. Burke takes myriad disparate threads—dowry deaths in India, the hypothetical origins of Stonehenge, secret societies searching for knowledge, spontaneous human combustion, mythology and folklore, the dangers of radiation, New Age cures and pseudo-medicine, the many traumas women endure (and are expected to suffer through in silence)—and weaves them into a shockingly cohesive whole…- Angie Barry, Criminal Elements
This book is an exploration of what that does to us, what society does to women with its expectations and its conflicting demands. – In Reference to Murder.
All of these things allow her to know things in ways the authorities investigating the fires couldn’t possibly know. Only her professor who gave her the ring believed in her. We can all name someone who did that for us. Like Cassandra, I want my readers to find theirs, twirl that imaginary ring, and never let anyone silence or sideline you because your existence and brilliance is inconvenient. Only you can insist on your own truth. – Mystery Suspense Reviews
I was happy to receive my printed book in the mail (although I have to admit I couldn’t wait and already read an advanced copy online.) Only the Women are Burning is a page-turner! Combining mystery with anthropology, and science fiction with the realities of contemporary life, Nancy Burke presents a thoughtful allegory. The narrator experiences a similar fate as her namesake, Cassandra, who in Greek mythology was destined to foresee the future and have no one believe her. The Cassandra in this book tries to convince others of the truth of the unspeakable horror she has witnessed, but even those closest to her won’t listen. The voice in this book is an authentic expression of how it feels to be unheard, to have her motivations questioned, and at times to feel like an outlier in her own life. The terrifying occurrences of women burning, along with the various legends surrounding this phenomenon, combine with the complexities of culture, friendship, and family, to make this a thrilling novel. – Marjorie Taylor
Only the Women Are Burning is one part science, one part mystery and one part family drama…. all coming together in a fascinating story! … Let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Oh and an incredibly strong female protagonist! Always a win in my book! Booksnbeachgal (Instagram)
Only the Women are Burning and Cassandra are so many things – marital issues, sacrificing oneself for family, the sorrow of losing friends, and desire to prove oneself. I was not expecting this book to be so perfectly one part science fiction, one part mystery, and one part family drama.- The Review Booth
This is one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a long time. This book had a premise so unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I love seeing books push the boundaries on traditional genre definitions.
• The premise was phenomenal. Such a creative, timely, interesting and unique premise.
• The characters were amazing, and perfect for their roles moving the story forward.
• The fact that this book had me thinking about it and mulling over it long after I finished reading it.
If you’re in the mood for a book that will make you think, and explores timely issues affecting women in a creative, modern way, this is it. Don’t expect to fly through it; you have to work a little to appreciate what the author is trying to do. But in my opinion, it’s a journey worth taking. – Books and Backroads (Instagram)
“Weaving impeccable research with an intriguing plot-line, Nancy Burke’s Only The Women Are Burning combines love and loss with science and discovery. It’s rare when a story folds facts into an emotional roller-coaster but this novel hits the mark. From India to small-town America, from spontaneous combustion to the explosion of a marriage . . . all told in vibrant prose with poetic edges.” –Julie Maloney, award-winning author of A Matter of Chance and Director of Women Reading Aloud, an international writing program for women.
“A captivating blend of suspense, science fiction and domestic drama. The claustrophobia and tension of Cassie’s internal frustrations perfectly mirror the complexity of the phenomena gripping her insular suburban community.”—Suzanne Chazin, author of Voice with No Echo.
Additional Reviews of Only the Women are Burning
Responses to If I Could Paint the Moon Black
If I Could Paint the Moon Black is a gripping and illuminating story from the first page, when Soviet cattle cars roll into the Vaivara, a town in Estonia without cows. It is a story of childhood, but no ordinary childhood, a nine-year-old and her mother caught in the nowhere land between Hitler and Stalin. It is a childhood under occupation, a childhood in hiding and ultimately in flight to freedom. Imbi Peebo Truumees seems to have remembered everything, and Nancy Burke had the great sense to recognize a great storyteller and a great story the moment she encountered them. Burke has translated memory into memoir, giving it an unforgettable shape and form, a form all the more powerful for its concreteness, its revealing lack of adornment. It is a magnificent collaboration, a precious gift to historians, who are only now beginning to realize how much of the War played out in the Baltic “Bloodlands,” and to all the rest of us, for the ages. – James Goodman, PhD, Professor of History and Creative Writing at Rutger’s Newark MFA in Creative Writing, author of But Where is the Lamb, Blackout and Stories of Scottsboro.
Nancy Burke offers a significant contribution to the literature of eye witness accounts with her beautifully written account of Imbi Peebo Truumees’ life as an Estonian child refugee during World War II. Burke writes Imbi’s story with great care and suspense that strikes a perfect balance between descriptions of place and event, childhood pleasures and overwhelming fears. The reality of what happened in during the war years can only really be glimpsed through those who lived through it and understood their experiences. Imbi is a brave and perceptive person, and Burke gives her the justice she deserves. — Alice Elliott Dark, Professor of English and Creative Writing, Rutgers’ Newark MFA in Creative Writing Program, author of Think of England, In the Gloaming, and Naked to the Waist
“There are so many statistics I could cite that would illustrate the brutality endured by people living under occupations by both Hitler and Stalin. Imbi Peebo’s story, written by her friend Nancy Burke, cuts right through the clutter of history’s recorded facts, to reveal a very human story of survival under those dark circumstances. While Imbi is not alone in that experience, her story represents tens of thousands more people….all whose stories deserve to be heard. This is a good place to begin to listen.” — James Tusty, co-filmmaker of “The Singing Revolution” and “To Breathe As One”.
“… with vivid descriptions of an interesting era, a ‘moving’ read..” – Beth, 94 years young, Reedsport, Oregon
“My daughter on the Big Island ordered “If I Could Paint the Moon Black” from Amazon for me and I picked it up when I visited her earlier this month…I finished reading it yesterday… oh, what an incredible book it was!!! Since I don’t know much about Eastern Europe it was an eye opener. What an experience Imbi had!!! She is only 2 yrs older than I… I could relate to the scarcity of food during the WAR and what it meant to live with bombings. I appreciated your listing of characters at the beginning of the book, who is who. I do that on my own sometimes when I am reading a book, especially Chinese names and so does my spouse when he reads books with the Asian names, so thank you for that…You write so well and I appreciated the description of places as well as the family values. I have a friend in Japan, Izumi Koishi, who is learning to be a translator of English books. I will mention about your book when I see her in Tokyo in April.” – Masu Dyer, Hawaii
Additional Reviews of If I Could Paint the Moon Black
Responses to From the Abuelas’ Window
From the Abuelas’ Window is like Number the Stars. It’s about human rights and children making a difference when they can.
– Emily Schostack, age 12
“Magnificent! You won’t want to take your eyes off it once you begin!”
– Julia Pearlstein-Levy, age 13
“A great read for mother/daughter book groups!”
– Holly Feltham
“It’s about family and love and empowerment…strong women”
– Margaret Gravvanis, middle school teacher
“There are not many stories out there that are excellent but at the same time educational. Maribel leads us through an unforgettable journey that teaches us about
Chile’s culture.”
– Child Reviewer, 8th grade
“The result is a richly engaging debut novel, a story written for young readers that is equally satisfying as an adult read…”
– TaRessa Stovall, Montclair Times
“It was amazing. Every flip of the page brought excitement, anger, joy…”
– Child Reviewer, 8th grade
Additional reviews of From the Abuelas’ Window