The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You: Stories

The series of stories are mostly non-related to one another outside the themes of living in NOLA in or around the black community. Each chapters narration feels unique and perfectly personified. Some of these stories may touch you or make you reassess your views. Recommend this to anyone who is looking to connect to some beautifully written stories.

Post-Katrina New Orleans told through the lenses of those hurt the most. Some of those are haunting and heartbreaking like the title story. Others are about people you never think of as you pass them on the street. The author writes these narratives from a fresh perspective. Love this collection.

This collection of short stories and flash fiction shows the impact of the COVID pandemic on New Orleanians as a city dependent on tourism loses its economic base. Ruffin takes the reader into the minds of characters of all economic classes, age groups, and gender identities. He captures speech patterns and language use across a wide spectrum of characters without dialect writing. After reading a few sentences it is clear the age and identity of the narrator. His language makes this a significant work of contemporary fiction.

These short stories are packed with dynamite! Every one is a punch in the gut with raw realism that leaves you wondering and caring about the characters long after you close the book. I’m so glad I bought this book and cannot wait to share a story or two with my students. So good!

Maurice Ruffin has done it again. A fabulous collection of characters and writing that get right to the heart of what's so special about New Orleans. The stories are universal too, though. They seem essential for these turbulent days, but also timeless. Highly recommended.

Took this with me on a recent trip to New Orleans and it really added a layer of context. Beautiful, humane stuff.

"Ghetto University" is a standout among many strong pieces.

I had previously read We Cast A Shadow and found it inconsistent and clunky in pacing. There was so much praise for this collection on the cover of that book, enough to give this one a shot. But the ideas feel too much in the sleeve, run out there to make sure you get the point rather than smack you with it. There’s a lot of powerful stuff behind these stories, just not in the stories themselves.